title: Immunostaining of stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 in intratubular germ cell neoplasia unclassified and in testicular germ-cell tumors.
abstract: Stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4) is expressed in testicular germ-cell tumors (GCT) according to studies using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) immunostaining. To further understand the relationship between SSEA-4 and the histogenesis of testicular GCT, we examined the expression of SSEA-4 in 43 samples of testicular GCT either by immunohistochemical staining or by TLC immunostaining. Immunohistochemical staining detected SSEA-4 in spermatogonia from the non-tumor parts of the testis and in all of 8 samples of intratubular germ cell neoplasia unclassified (IGCNU). Immunohistochemical staining was SSEA-4 positive in all 9 seminomas, and in one yolk sac tumor and in 5 embryonal carcinomas among 9 non-seminomas. Immunostaining with TLC showed that SSEA-4 was retained in 15 of 16 seminomas and in 4 of 8 non-seminomas. These results demonstrate an antigenic link between spermatogonia, IGCNU, and testicular GCT. We suggest that SSEA-4 is associated with the histogenesis of testicular GCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tokuyama
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Toshiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanto
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Senji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: Mareyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endoh
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019921:Biotinylation; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D018240:Endodermal Sinus Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000737:chemistry; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000378:metabolism*; D018239:Seminoma / Q000378:metabolism; D055746:Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D055746:Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens; C066584:stage-specific embryonic antigen-4