Expression of the c-kit Proto-Oncogene and Its Ligand Stem Cell Factor (SCF) in Normal and Malignant Human Testicular Tissue (1995)

No AccessJournal of UrologyInvestigative Urology1 Feb 1995Expression of the c-kit Proto-Oncogene and Its Ligand Stem Cell Factor (SCF) in Normal and Malignant Human Testicular Tissue Torsten Strohmeyer, David Reese, Michael Press, Rolf Ackermann, Michael Hartmann, and Dennis Slamon Torsten StrohmeyerTorsten Strohmeyer , David ReeseDavid Reese , Michael PressMichael Press , Rolf AckermannRolf Ackermann , Michael HartmannMichael Hartmann , and Dennis SlamonDennis Slamon View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/00005392-199502000-00073AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Recent findings suggest an important role of the proto-oncogene c-kit, a surface membrane receptor of the tyrosine kinase family, and its ligand stem cell factor (SCF) in normal spermatogenesis and possibly in the pathogenesis of certain testicular germ cell tumors. To further investigate this potential role, the expression of c-kit and SCF was studied in normal and malignant human testicular tissue specimens at the mRNA and protein level by Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The detection of the c-kit receptor in normal human germ cells and its natural ligand SCF in Sertoli cells suggests the presence of a local trophic regulatory system that may be active in human spermatogenesis. Additionally, c-kit expression was detected in the seminoma but not in the nonseminoma subtype of human testicular germ cell tumors (GCT). Stem cell factor was not expressed at the mRNA level in tissue from either subtype of GCT as determined by Northern blot analysis; however, the protein was detected immunohistochemically in the cytoplasm of rare tumor cells. References 1 : Human proto-oncogene c-kit: a new cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase for an unidentified ligand. E.M.B.O. J.1987; 6: 3341. Google Scholar 2 : Steel locus defines new multipotent growth factor. Cell1990; 63: 5. Google Scholar 3 : Effects of the Steel gene product on mouse primordial germ cells in culture. Nature1991; 352: 807. Google Scholar 4 : Requirement for mast cell growth factor for primordial germ cell survival in culture. Nature1991; 352: 809. Google Scholar 5 : Expression of the c-kit protein in human solid tumors and in corresponding fetal and adult normal tissues. Am. J. Pathology1993; 142: 339. Google Scholar 6 : Role of the KIT proto-oncogene in normal and malignant human hematopoiesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.1992; 89: 1710. Google Scholar 7 : Coexpression of the stem cell factor and the c-kit genes in small-cell lung cancer. Oncogene1991; 6: 2291. Google Scholar 8 : Embryonic expression of a haematopoietic growth factor encoded by the SL locus and the ligand for c-kit. Nature1990; 347: 667. Google Scholar 9 : Testes and scrotum--Sertoli cells. In: Adult and Pediatric Urology.. Edited by . Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc.1987. Google Scholar 10 : Expression of the mRNA for the ligand of c-kit in mouse Sertoli cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm.1991; 176: 910. Google Scholar 11 : Altered expression of the hst1 and c-kit oncogenes: correlations with histology and tumor stage in human testicular germ cell tumors. Cancer Res.1991; 51: 1811. Google Scholar 12 : Molecular cloning, a laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press1989. chapts. 6-7. Google Scholar 13 : Primary structure and functional expression of rat and human stem cell factor DNAs. Cell1990; 63: 203. Google Scholar 14 : A technique for radiolabelling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to high specific activity. Anal. Biochem.1983; 132: 6. Google Scholar 15 : Isolation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the human c-kit receptor. Blood1992; 79: 338. Google Scholar 16 : Soluble stem cell factor in human serum. Blood1993; 81: 656. Google Scholar 17 : Immunohistochemistry. New York: John Wiley and Sons1979. Google Scholar 18 : Growth factors and testicular development. J. Urol.1993; 150: 583. Link, Google Scholar 19 : Gonadal expression of c-kit encoded at the W locus of the mouse. Development1990; 110: 1057. Google Scholar 20 : Expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene in the murine male germ cells. Oncogene1991; 6: 149. Google Scholar 21 : Effects of rrSCF on multiple cytokine responsive HPP-CFC generated from SCA+Lin- murine hematopoietic progenitors. Exp. Hematol.1991; 19: 994. Google Scholar 22 : Follicle-stimulating hormone induction of steel factor (SLF) mRNA in mouse Sertoli cells and stimulation of DNA synthesis in spermatogonia by soluble SLF. Dev. Biol.1993; 155: 68. Google Scholar 23 : Preferential expression of c-kit proto-oncogene transcripts in small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res.1991; 51: 2416. Google Scholar 24 : Nonhematopoietic tumor cell lines express stem cell factor and display c-kit receptors. Blood1992; 80: 374. Google Scholar 25 : Breast cancer is associated with loss of the c-kit oncogene product. Int. J. Cancer1992; 52: 713. Google Scholar 26 : Stem cell factor (SCF), a novel hematopoietic growth factor and ligand for c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor, maps on human chromosome 12 between 12q14.3 and 12qter. Somat. Cell. Mol. Genet.1991; 17: 207. Google Scholar 27 : Isochromosome of chromosome 12: clinically useful marker for male germ cell tumors. J. Nat. Cancer Inst.1989; 81: 1874. Google Scholar From the Department of Oncology, Schering AG, Berlin, Germany, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, U.C.L.A. School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, Department of Urology, Heinrich-Heine-University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany, Department of Pathology, USC Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, Department of Urology, Army Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanyRequests for reprints: Department of Oncology, Schering AG, 13342 Berlin, Germany© 1995 by American Urological Association, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited bySchmidt B, Ackermann R, Hartmann M and Strohmeyer T (2018) ALTERATIONS OF THE METASTASIS SUPPRESSOR GENE nm23 AND THE PROTO-ONCOGENE c-myc IN HUMAN TESTICULAR GERM CELL TUMORSJournal of Urology, VOL. 158, NO. 5, (2000-2005), Online publication date: 1-Nov-1997.Strohmeyer D, Langenhof S, Ackermann R, Hartmann M, Strohmeyer T and Schmidt B (2018) Analysis of the DCC Tumor Suppressor Gene in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: Mutations and Loss of ExpressionJournal of Urology, VOL. 157, NO. 5, (1973-1976), Online publication date: 1-May-1997. Volume 153Issue 2February 1995Page: 511-515 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 1995 by American Urological Association, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Torsten Strohmeyer More articles by this author David Reese More articles by this author Michael Press More articles by this author Rolf Ackermann More articles by this author Michael Hartmann More articles by this author Dennis Slamon More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...