Serum Microrna222 And Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2–Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) As Biomarkers For The Diagnosis Of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Abstract

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer, yet its diagnosis still faces challenges, particularly in distinguishing between benign and malignant cases using traditional methods such as fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). This study aimed to evaluate the potential diagnostic roles of microRNA-222 and Nrf2 as biomarkers in the detection of PTC. A total of 87 samples were analyzed, divided into three groups: PTC patients (n=16), patients with benign thyroid diseases (n=39), and healthy controls (n=32). Serum levels of Nrf2 were measured using ELISA, while microRNA-222 expression was analyzed using RT-PCR. The results revealed a significant decrease in serum Nrf2 and Folding Change microRNA-222 levels in PTC patients compared to healthy individuals, while Ct.microRNA-222 showed limited diagnostic value. ROC analysis showed that FC microRNA-222 had the highest sensitivity (75%) but lower specificity (48.72%). These findings suggest that both Nrf2 and FC microRNA-222 may serve as promising supplementary biomarkers to improve the diagnostic accuracy of PTC and help differentiate malignant from benign thyroid conditions.