Aberrant platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor transcript as a diagnostic marker for early human germ cell tumors of the adult testis.
Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common form of cancer in young adult males. They result from a derangement of primordial germ cells, and they grow out from a noninvasive carcinoma-in-situ precursor. Since carcinoma in situ can readily be cured by low-dose irradiation, there is a great incentive for non- or minimally invasive methods for detection of carcinoma in situ. We have recently shown that human Tera-2 embryonal carcinoma cells, obtained from a nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumor, show alternative splicing and alternative promoter use of the platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor gene, giving rise to a unique 1.5-kb transcript. In this study we have set up a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction strategy for characterization of the various transcripts for this receptor. Using this technique, we show that a panel of 18 seminomas and II nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors all express the 1.5-kb transcript. In addition, a panel of 27 samples of testis parenchyma with established carcinoma in situ were all found to be positive for the 1.5-kb transcript, while parenchyma lacking carcinoma in situ, placenta, and control semen were all negative. These data show that the 1.5-kb platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor transcript can be used as a highly selective marker for detection of early stages of human testicular germ cell tumors.
Mosselman
S
S
Department of Cell Biology, University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Looijenga
L H
LH
Gillis
A J
AJ
van Rooijen
M A
MA
Kraft
H J
HJ
van Zoelen
E J
EJ
Oosterhuis
J W
JW
D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D018236:Carcinoma, Embryonal; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells; D017931:DNA Primers; D015870:Gene Expression; D018237:Germinoma / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018239:Seminoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013724:Teratoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D014212:Tretinoin; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase