title: Expression and distribution of c-kit receptor and its ligand in human CNS germ cell tumors: a useful histological marker for the diagnosis of germinoma.
abstract: We previously reported the expression of protooncogene c-kit in CNS germ cell tumors and suggested that the soluble form of c-kit (s-kit) may represent a specific clinical marker for germinoma-containing tumors. Here we investigated the expression of stem cell factor (SCF), a specific ligand of c-kit, in CNS germ cell tumor samples from 16 patients, using immunohistochemical methods to assay the expression of c-kit and SCF protein. The immunostaining patterns of c-kit and SCF were almost identical. In all germinoma-containing tumors, c-kit and SCF were diffusely expressed on the surface of germinoma cells; lymphocytes and interstitial cells were negatively stained. In immature teratomas, only some mature components, e.g., cartilage and gland, were immunoreactive for c-kit and SCF. Syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells (STGCs) were negative for both SCF and c-kit, suggesting that germinoma cells primarily coexpress SCF and c-kit. The coexpression of c-kit and SCF may be an important immunohistochemical marker for the diagnosis of CNS germinoma, and the SCF/c-kit pathway may be an alternative molecular target for the treatment of human CNS germinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan. m2040k@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeshima
authors.forename: Masatomo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuratsu
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018237:Germinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018243:Teratocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit