title: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in situ hybridization for SYT-SSX fusion gene transcripts in synovial sarcomas.
abstract: More than 90% of synovial sarcomas (SSs) possess a non-random chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11;q11) and express SYT-SSX fusion gene products originating from the translocation. To test whether it is possible to detect the SYT-SSX mRNA on archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded SS tissue sections using PCR-based in situ amplification technique, we performed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in situ hybridization (RT-PCR ISH) for the SYT-SSX fusion gene mRNA. In three types of SSs, monophasic fibrous, biphasic and poorly differentiated, NBT/BCIP signals corresponding to SYT-SSX mRNA were uniformly and predominantly positive in the sarcoma cell cytoplasm. Our results indicated that SS cells uniformly possessed the SYT-SSX fusion genes and expressed their transcripts. Furthermore, our results were thought to support monoclonal origin of epithelial and spindle cell components of biphasic SSs. Thus, specific chromosomal translocation t(X;18) is likely to be an early event in the development of SSs, and the expression of SYT-SSX fusion gene products is thought to be crucial for the tumorigenesis of SSs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan. shig@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawauchi
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chochi
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Atsunori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oga
authors.forename: Kohsuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018396:Mucin-1; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C116512:SYT-SSX fusion protein; D014746:Vimentin; D007633:Keratins