TARGETED EXPRESSION OF THE RET PTC1 ONCOGENE INDUCES PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMAS/

The ret/PTC oncogene, a rearranged form of the ret proto-oncogene, has been found to be restricted to human papillary thyroid carcinomas. Th is report shows that transgenic mice with thyroid-targeted expression of the ret/PTC1 oncogene developed thyroid carcinomas with considerabl e similarities to human papillary thyroid carcinomas, particularly in the nuclear cytologic features and the presence of local invasion. Our findings indicate that ret/PTC1 is not only a biomarker associated wi th papillary thyroid carcinomas, but is also the only proven specific genetic event leading to the development of papillary thyroid carcinom a.