We compared three methods of blood collection and RNA extraction, and quantified Tg mRNA (by real time RT-PCR) in the peripheral blood of a) probands without thyroid disease (n=42), patients with b) thyroid autonomy (n=15), c) Graves' disease (n=22), d) euthyroid goiter (n=6), and in DTC-patients after thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy e) with (n=16) and f) without (n=37) metastasis.
We have previously demonstrated that some cases of endemic and nonendemic simple goiter are associated with a mutation within exon 10 of the thyroglobulin gene.
To our knowledge, this is the first time that a mutation in the thyroglobulin gene has been described in a patient with endemic simple goiter and further confirms the association between the exon 10 mutation and development of goiter.