1. Aberrant platelet-derived growth factor a-receptor transcript as a diagnostic marker for early human germ cell tumors of the adult testis
- Author
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Mosselman, S., Looijenga, L.H.J., Gillis, A.J.M., van Rooijen, M.A., Kraft, H.J., van Zoelen, E.J.J., and Oosterhuis, J.W.
- Subjects
Growth factors -- Research ,Germ cell tumors -- Research ,Testicular cancer -- Research ,Science and technology - Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common form of cancer in young adult males. They result from a derangement of primordial germ cells, and they grow out from a noninvasive carcinoma-in-situ precursor. Since carcinoma in situ can readily be cured by low-dose irradiation, there is a great incentive for non- or minimally invasive methods for detection of carcinoma in situ. We have recently shown that human Tera-2 embryonal carcinoma cells, obtained from a nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumor, show alternative splicing and alternative promoter use of the platelet-derived growth factor [Alpha]-receptor gene, giving rise to a unique 1.5-kb transcript. In this study we have set up a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction strategy for characterization of the various transcripts for this receptor. Using this technique, we show that a panel of 18 seminomas and 11 nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors all express the 1.5-kb transcript. In addition, a panel of 27 samples of testis parenchyma with established carcinoma in situ were all found to be positive for the 1.5-kb transcript, while parenchyma lacking carcinoma in situ, placenta, and control semen were all negative. These data show that the 1.5-kb platelet-derived growth factor [Alpha]-receptor transcript can be used as a highly selective marker for detection of early stages of human testicular germ cell tumors.
- Published
- 1996