Identity of M2A (D2-40) antigen and gp36 (Aggrus, T1A-2, podoplanin) in human developing testis, testicular carcinoma in situ and germ-cell tumours.
Testicular germ-cell tumours of young adults are derived from a pre-invasive intratubular lesion, carcinoma in situ (CIS). In a recent genome-wide gene expression screening using cDNA microarrays, we found PDPN over-expressed in CIS compared to normal adult testis. PDPN encodes podoplanin (Aggrus, human gp36, T1A-2), a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in lymphatic endothelium and various solid tumours. To examine a potential role for PDPN in testicular neoplasms and during testicular development, we investigated its expression pattern during the development of human testis and in a series of testicular CIS, gonadoblastoma and overt germ-cell tumours. We established by RT-PCR and by immunohistochemistry with a gp36 antibody that PDPN mRNA and the protein product were expressed in testes with germ-cell neoplasms but not in the normal adult testis. We also found gp36 expression in early foetal gonocytes and immature Sertoli cells, similar to the expression pattern of M2A antigen, a previously identified marker for CIS and seminoma. This reinforced our previous proposal that M2A (D2-40) antigen was identical to gp36 (podoplanin, Aggrus, T1A-2). Our findings also suggest that podoplanin has a function in developing testis, most likely at the level of cell-cell interactions among pre-meiotic germ cells and immature Sertoli cells.
Sonne
Si Brask
SB
University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Section GR-5064, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. si@bsonne.dk
Herlihy
Amy S
AS
Hoei-Hansen
Christina E
CE
Nielsen
John E
JE
Almstrup
Kristian
K
Skakkebaek
Niels E
NE
Marks
Alexander
A
Leffers
Henrik
H
Rajpert-De Meyts
Ewa
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000737:chemistry*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000737:chemistry*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology; D000098853:Podoplanin
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C117468:PDPN protein, human; D000098853:Podoplanin; C031192:oncofetal antigens