Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42545603›Full record

ArticleEndocrine2026

STK11 c.1062 C > G germline variant in medullary thyroid carcinoma: implications for familial predisposition and genetic counseling.

Weimao Kong, Longnv Bao, Meili Wang, Xiangzhong Zhao, Haiyan Gu, Xingzhu Pan, Xinyi Zhang, Tingling Zhang, Xiaoming Xing, Jigang Wang

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Article in Endocrine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Weimao KongDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China.
Longnv BaoDepartment of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Meili WangDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China.
Xiangzhong ZhaoMedical Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Haiyan GuDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China.
Xingzhu PanDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China.
Xinyi ZhangDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China.
Tingling ZhangDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Xiaoming XingDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China. xiaoming.xing@qdu.edu.cn.
Jigang WangDepartment of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, 266555, China. wangjigang@qdu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-1909-0232

Funding

Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation Y-2019genecast-020National Natural Science Foundation of China 82172616Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2021MH097Taishan Scholar Project of Shandong Province tsqn202211376
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMedullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is characterized by frequent RET mutations, while non-RET alterations remain less well studied. Previous reports have identified a recurrent STK11 c.1062 C > G (p.Phe354Leu) variant in MTC, but its clinicopathologic and functional significance remains uncertain.

methodsA total of 129 MTCs (128 families) were analyzed by Sanger sequencing to screen for the STK11 c.1062 C > G variant. Germline status was assessed in cases with available normal tissue. Targeted next-generation sequencing was performed in 30 tumors (29 families). Functional effects of the STK11 c.1062 C > G variant were evaluated using an overexpression model in TT cells, with assessment of AMPKα phosphorylation. Progression-free survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods.

resultsThe STK11 c.1062 C > G variant was identified in 12 of 129 MTCs (9.3%) and in 11 of 128 families (8.6%). It was significantly enriched in hereditary cases compared with sporadic tumors: 27.8% (5/18) vs. 7.7% (1/12) for individual MTC cases, and 23.5% (4/17) vs. 7.7% (1/12) for families. In evaluable cases, the variant was confirmed to be germline. Tumors harboring STK11 c.1062 C > G showed a mutational spectrum predominantly involving RET, whereas variant-negative tumors exhibited more heterogeneous alterations, including genes related to DNA repair and chromatin remodeling. No significant difference in progression-free survival was observed between groups (P = 0.54). In vitro, the STK11 c.1062 C > G variant was associated with reduced AMPKα phosphorylation compared with wild-type STK11.

conclusionGiven the population frequency and ClinVar benign/likely benign classification of this variant, our data do not support STK11 c.1062 C > G as a primary driver of MTC; rather, it may represent a recurrent germline variant that could act as a low-penetrance modifier in a subset of patients, warranting cautious interpretation and further validation.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, NeuroendocrineGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGerm-Line MutationProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesThyroid NeoplasmsAdultAgedAMP-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAMP-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesSTK11 protein, humanAMPK signaling pathwayGermline variantMedullary thyroid carcinomaSTK11

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.