Regulation of GSK-3 beta in the proliferation and apoptosis of human thyrocytes investigated using a GSK-3 beta-targeting RNAi adenovirus expression vector: involvement the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.

Disorders in the proliferation and apoptosis of thyrocytes may induce goitre, adenoma and carcinoma in the thyroid. The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway has been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in various cell lines. The regulatory mechanism on the proliferation and differentiation of thyrocytes is not well characterized. In the present study, a GSK-3beta-targeting RNA interference (RNAi) adenovirus vector was constructed and delivered to primary human thyrocytes. Results showed that the expression of beta-catenin protein in primary human thyrocytes was increased after GSK-3beta-targeting RNAi adenovirus infection, the proliferation of primary human thyrocytes was significantly stimulated using Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay, while cell apoptosis was slightly affected which was observed through flow cytometry. It is concluded that the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway plays a significant role in the regulation of the proliferation of primary human thyrocytes.