Expression and clinical significance of armadillo repeat-containing X-linked protein 3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Objective To explore the expression and significance of armadillo repeat-containing X-linked protein 3 (ALEX3) in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods From June 2018 to September 2018 a total of 60 cases (10 males and 50 females) of papillary thyroid carcinoma in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were collected. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of ALEX3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues and normal thyroid tissues, respectively. The median value of the ALEX3 expression level is used as the truncated value, 60 patients with papillary thyroid cancer were divided into the ALEX3 high-expression group and the ALEX3 low-expression group. The t test was used to analyze the difference in ALEX3 expression level between thyroid papillary carcinoma tissues and normal thyroid tissues, and the χ2 test was used to analyze the correlation between ALEX3 mRNA and clinicopathological features in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Results The relative expression value of ALEX3 mRNA in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues (2.125±0.755) was significantly higher than that in normal thyroid tissues (1.156±0.426, t=8.663, P<0.05). The difference was statistically significant.Expression level of ALEX3 mRNA was closely related to TNM pathological stage and lymph node metastasis (χ2=5.963, 15.152, P<0.05). The relative expression value of ALEX3 protein in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues (0.332±0.145) was significantly higher than that in normal thyroid tissues (0.204±0.132, t=2.252, P<0.05), The difference was statistically significant.. Conclusion ALEX3 was significantly over-expressed in thyroid papillary carcinoma, and might play an important role in its occurrence and progression. Key words: Armadillo repeat-containing X-linked protein 3; Papillary thyroid carcinoma