TY - JOUR
T1 - Expression of SpanX proteins in normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours
AU - Salemi, Michele
AU - Calogero, Aldo E.
AU - Castiglione, Roberto
AU - Tricoli, Dario
AU - Asero, Paola
AU - Rosa, Romeo
AU - Rappazzo, Giancarlo
AU - Vicari, Enzo
PY - 2006/4
Y1 - 2006/4
N2 - We investigated the expression of the SpanX protein family in cells of normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours, mainly seminomas and embryonal carcinomas, using an immunohistochemical approach. Most of the normal germ cells, belonging to spermatogonial and primary spermatocytic classes, showed a strong nuclear positivity. In contrast, post-meiotic germ cells showed diffused cytoplasmic and sometimes also perinuclear localization of the signal. The vast majority of cells were also positive in eight seminomas, six embryonal cell carcinomas and one teratocarcinoma. In all seminomas, nuclei were either exclusively or preferentially labelled; whereas, the nuclear signal intensity decreased in parallel with the appearance of some cytoplasmic staining in embryonal carcinomas. In conclusion, these data suggest that the SpanX protein family is not exclusively expressed post-meiotically and that seminomas and embryonal carcinomas may originate from SpanX-positive carcinoma-in-situ cell.
AB - We investigated the expression of the SpanX protein family in cells of normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours, mainly seminomas and embryonal carcinomas, using an immunohistochemical approach. Most of the normal germ cells, belonging to spermatogonial and primary spermatocytic classes, showed a strong nuclear positivity. In contrast, post-meiotic germ cells showed diffused cytoplasmic and sometimes also perinuclear localization of the signal. The vast majority of cells were also positive in eight seminomas, six embryonal cell carcinomas and one teratocarcinoma. In all seminomas, nuclei were either exclusively or preferentially labelled; whereas, the nuclear signal intensity decreased in parallel with the appearance of some cytoplasmic staining in embryonal carcinomas. In conclusion, these data suggest that the SpanX protein family is not exclusively expressed post-meiotically and that seminomas and embryonal carcinomas may originate from SpanX-positive carcinoma-in-situ cell.
KW - Embryonal carcinoma
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Seminoma
KW - SpanX
KW - Teratocarcinoma
KW - Testicular tumour
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00615.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00615.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 16390498
AN - SCOPUS:33644912896
VL - 29
SP - 368
EP - 373
JO - International Journal of Andrology
JF - International Journal of Andrology
SN - 0105-6263
IS - 2
ER -