Aberrant expression and distribution of the OCT-4 transcription factor in seminomas.
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs), comprised of seminomas and non-seminomas, are derived from premalignant and noninvasive intracellular germ cell neoplasias. Among TGCTs, seminomas are believed to resemble a transformed state of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and are known to exhibit a gene expression profile similar to that of embryonic stem (ES) cells, such as transcription factor OCT-4. OCT-4 has recently been recognized as a diagnostic marker for clinical aspects of seminomas. However, the role of the OCT-4 protein in seminomas has not been clarified. To determine a possible role of the OCT-4 protein in seminomas, in this paper, we studied a series of 41 testicular tumor tissues and four cell lines by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to examine the expression and distribution of the OCT-4 transcription factor in seminomas. By utilizing immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting, we demonstrated that the OCT-4 transcription factor was aberrantly localized in the cytoplasm and nuclei of cells in the collected seminoma tissues. This observation was further confirmed using immunocytochemical staining of NCCIT (seminoma-embryonal carcinoma) and NT2 (embryonal carcinoma) cells. In addition, the RT-PCR results indicated that Oct-4 mRNA was relatively highly expressed in NCCIT, NT2 cells, and seminoma tissues when compared with human embryonic stem cells. The aberrant expression and distribution of the OCT-4 transcription factor in seminomas may provide some important clues concerning the cell transformation between germ line stem cells (like PGC) and testicular germ cell tumors.
Cheng
Chien-Jui
CJ
Department of Pathology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wu
Yu-Chih
YC
Shu
Jye-An
JA
Ling
Thai-Yen
TY
Kuo
Hung-Chih
HC
Wu
Jui-Yu
JY
Chang
E E
EE
Chang
Shyh-Chern
SC
Huang
Yen-Hua
YH
D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018239:Seminoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger