Diagnostic value of OCT3/4 for pre-invasive and invasive testicular germ cell tumours.
Human testicular germ cell tumours of adolescents and adults (TGCTs), the seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell tumours, show morphological and biological similarities to normal embryonic development, presumably determined by their supposed cell of origin, the primordial germ cell/gonocyte. Based on this knowledge, OCT3/4, also known as POU5F1, was recently defined as a diagnostic marker for these tumour types. In the adult testis, positive immunohistochemistry for OCT3/4 is an absolute indicator for the presence of the TGCT precursor carcinoma in situ/intratubular germ cell neoplasia undifferentiated (CIS/ITGCNU), seminoma, and/or embryonal carcinoma. Several studies have confirmed this observation, using the same polyclonal antibody. The present study demonstrates the usefulness of OCT3/4 immunohistochemistry in a diagnostic setting of a consecutively collected series of more than 200 testicular tumours and over 80 testicular biopsies. Moreover, it is shown that a monoclonal antibody directed against OCT3/4 is as informative as the polyclonal antibody, both in immunohistochemistry and in western blot analysis. The antibodies are robust and applicable with different methods of pretreatment and storage of tissue. This allows routine application of this diagnostic marker.
de Jong
Jeroen
J
Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Stoop
Hans
H
Dohle
Gert R
GR
Bangma
Chris H
CH
Kliffen
Mike
M
van Esser
Joost W J
JW
van den Bent
Martin
M
Kros
Johan M
JM
Oosterhuis
J Wolter
JW
Looijenga
Leendert H J
LH
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D018239:Seminoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors