An investigation of the expression of the NKX2-1 gene in nodular goiter

Background: The reported risk of papillary thyroid cancer among patients with benign nodular goiter is variable. Therefore, understanding the cause of goiters can assist in their management. No consensus has been reached regarding the genetic factors that influence the development of nodular goiter. The objective of this study was to determine the expression level of NKX2-1 in benign goiter tumors. Methods A case-control study was conducted on 18 samples of fresh goiter tissue collected during thyroidectomy in Isfahan, Iran and 18 samples of healthy tissue around the goiter. Following extraction of RNA, cDNA was synthesized. RT-qPCR was used to determine the expression of NKX2-1 using specific primers (exon-junction and intron-spanning). Results The extracted RNAs were intact and suitable for cDNA synthesis. Melting curve analysis revealed distinct amplifications of the NKX2-1 gene. A significant difference was observed in the level of expression of NKX2-1 between nodular goiter and adjacent healthy tissues (relative expression = 1.172, p = 0.04). Conclusion It was found that the expression of NKX2-1 was different between nodular goiter tissues and adjacent healthy tissues.