Expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene and its ligand stem cell factor (SCF) in normal and malignant human testicular tissue.
Recent findings suggest an important role of the proto-oncogene c-kit, a surface membrane receptor of the tyrosine kinase family, and its ligand stem cell factor (SCF) in normal spermatogenesis and possibly in the pathogenesis of certain testicular germ cell tumors. To further investigate this potential role, the expression of c-kit and SCF was studied in normal and malignant human testicular tissue specimens at the mRNA and protein level by Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The detection of the c-kit receptor in normal human germ cells and its natural ligand SCF in Sertoli cells suggests the presence of a local trophic regulatory system that may be active in human spermatogenesis. Additionally, c-kit expression was detected in the seminoma but not in the nonseminoma subtype of human testicular germ cell tumors (GCT). Stem cell factor was not expressed at the mRNA level in tissue from either subtype of GCT as determined by Northern blot analysis; however, the protein was detected immunohistochemically in the cytoplasm of rare tumor cells.
Strohmeyer
T
T
Department of Oncology, Schering AG, Berlin, Germany.
Reese
D
D
Press
M
M
Ackermann
R
R
Hartmann
M
M
Slamon
D
D
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D018237:Germinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases