Constitutively active RET triggers signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, survival and motility, but the mechanisms underlying malignant transformation of C-cells have been only partially elucidated.
The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of RET/PTC1 on the expression of thyroid-specific genes in thyrocytes and their relationship with malignant transformation of the thyrocytes.
In contrast to the normal membrane-bound RET protein, aberrant RET fusion proteins are constitutively active oncogenic cytosolic proteins that can lead to malignant transformation of thyroid epithelia.
BRAF mutations and RET or NTRK1 rearrangements were identified as causing events that drive the malignant transformation of the thyroid follicular cell.