Chromosomal aberrations in cell lines derived from thyroid tumors spontaneously developed in TRβPV/PV mice

The etiology and genetic alterations of follicular thyroid carcinoma are not well understood. By targeting a mutation (PV) into the thyroid hormone receptor β gene (TRβPV mouse), we created a knock-in mutant TRβPV/PV mouse that spontaneously develop follicular thyroid carcinoma with progression to metastasis similar to human follicular thyroid carcinoma. This mouse model provides a valuable tool to ascertain the nature and the extent of genomic rearrangements that occur during carcinogenesis of the thyroid. Spectral karyotyping analysis (SKY) of seven cell lines derived from thyroid tumors developed in TRβPV/PV mice showed that all of them had abnormal karyotypes, with chromosome number ranging from near-diploid (39–42 chromosomes) to hypotetraploid (63–79 chromosomes). These seven cell lines also exhibited a variety of structural chromosomal aberrations, including common recurrent translocations and deletions. This SKY analysis shows that the development and progression of follicular thyroid carcinoma in knock-in TRβPV/PV mutant mice comprise recurrent structural and numerical genomic changes, some of which mimic those described in human thyroid cancer.