title: MAGEC2 is a sensitive and novel marker for seminoma: a tissue microarray analysis of 325 testicular germ cell tumors.
abstract: Melanoma-associated gene C2 (MAGEC2) is a recently identified cancer testis antigen expressed in normal testicular and placental tissue. It has been detected in some human carcinomas, but its expression in primary testicular germ cell tumors is unknown. Immunohistochemistry was used to study MAGEC2 protein in 325 primary testicular germ cell tumors, including 94 mixed germ cell tumors. Seminomatous and non-seminomatous components were separately arranged and evaluated on tissue microarrays. MAGEC2 expression was compared with POU5F1 (OCT3/4), SOX2, SOX17, KIT and TNFRSF8 (CD30). The mouse monoclonal anti-MAGEC2 antibody (clone LX-CT10.5) revealed a nuclear MAGEC2 expression with little or no background staining. MAGEC2 expression was found in 238 of 254 seminomas (94%), but not in embryonal carcinomas (n=89). POU5F1 (OCT3/4) was positive in 97% of seminomas and all embryonal carcinomas. In contrast, KIT was positive in 94% of seminoma but also in 8% of embryonal carcinomas. TNFRSF8 (CD30) and SOX2 were negative in seminoma and positive in embryonal carcinoma (96 and 90%, respectively). SOX17 was positive in 94% of seminoma and negative in embryonal carcinoma. We conclude that MAGEC2 allows a reliable distinction of seminoma from embryonal carcinomas. Therefore, MAGEC2 represents an additional tool for the differential diagnosis of testicular germ cell tumors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. PeterKarl.Bode@usz.ch
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barghorn
authors.forename: Florian R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Fritzsche
authors.forename: Marc-Oliver
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Riener
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knuth
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moch
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018236:Carcinoma, Embryonal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D018239:Seminoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C405429:MAGEC2 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; C109188:SOX17 protein, human; D055760:SOXF Transcription Factors