Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research logo
Submit
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and ResearchAn Official Publication of Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI)
Article

Pro-inflammatory Cytokine TNF-α Reduces Matrix Calcification in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

1, 2, 2

  1. 1School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, CHINA.
  2. 2Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University, Shihezi, CHINA.

CORRESPONDENCE

Jianhua Niu

Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University, Shihezi, CHINA.

niujianhua999@126.com

Received: 12-01-2026; Revised: 09-02-2026; Accepted: 20-04-2026.

Volume 60, Issue 3 · pp. 1233-1240 · 2026 · DOI: 10.5530/ijper.20263458

ABSTRACT

Aim/Background: Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in immune regulation, chronic inflammation, and tumor progression. However, its role in the calcification process of thyroid malignancies, particularly Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC), remains unclear. To investigate the effect of TNF-α on matrix calcification and the invasive behavior of papillary thyroid carcinoma cell lines.Materials and Methods: Two PTC cell lines, TPC-1 and BCPAP, were treated with varying concentrations of TNF-α. The expression of the calcification marker Osteopontin (OPN) was measured. Alizarin Red and Alkaline Phosphatase staining were used to assess matrix calcification, while cell migration and invasion assays evaluated the malignant potential of the cells.Results: TNF-α treatment significantly reduced OPN expression in both TPC-1 and BCPAP cells (p < 0.05). Cells treated with 100 ng/mL TNF-α showed decreased calcification and increased invasive and migratory abilities compared to controls and the 1 ng/ mL TNF-α group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: TNF-α suppresses matrix calcification and enhances the invasive potential of PTC cells, suggesting a potential role in the progression and pathogenesis of calcification in thyroid cancer.

KEYWORDS

Open in new tab

REFERENCES

As published

Showing references and in-text citations exactly as published.

    Cite this article

    SELECT FORMAT

    Fu, J., Xi, Y., & Niu, J. (2026). Pro-inflammatory Cytokine TNF-α Reduces Matrix Calcification in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 60(3), 1233-1240. https://doi.org/10.5530/ijper.20263458

    Copyright and licence

    © 2026 Author(s)

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. CC BY 4.0