title: Aggrus: a diagnostic marker that distinguishes seminoma from embryonal carcinoma in testicular germ cell tumors.
abstract: Aggrus (also known as T1alpha/podoplanin) is a membrane sialoglycoprotein whose function in tumors is unknown. We recently determined that Aggrus possessed the ability of inducing platelet aggregation and that its expression was frequently upregulated in colorectal tumors. Thus, Aggrus expression might be associated with tumor-induced platelet aggregation and tumor metastasis. Here we show, by means of cancer profiling array and real-time PCR, that aggrus mRNA expression is frequently upregulated in testicular germ cell tumors when compared with the surrounding normal tissue. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that Aggrus protein expression was detected in 10 of 11 seminomas (90.9%), but its expression was not observed in embryonal carcinomas (0/4; 0%). Specific markers for seminomas have not been reported, and Aggrus is a potential diagnostic marker for seminomas and may be associated with malignancies of the testis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Isoji
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sasagawa
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Motoki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuruo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018236:Carcinoma, Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018239:Seminoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D000098853:Podoplanin
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C490441:Pdpn protein, mouse; D000098853:Podoplanin; C117468:PDPN protein, human