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Comparative analysis of apoptosis and proliferation in teratocarcinoma and the experimental teratocarcinoma in vivo model

Teratocarcinoma (TCa) is a type of testicular germ cell tumor composed of teratoma and embryonal carcinoma (EC). Experimental mouse TCa are obtained by transplanting gastrulating mouse embryos underneath a kidney capsule of a syngeneic animal. While the model histologically corresponds to human TCa, their molecular signature remains obscure. The aim of present study is to compare proliferative and apoptotic activity on the protein level in human TCa and mouse experimental TCa in order to asses growth similarity. In total, 20 experimental TCa obtained 4 weeks after transplantation and 28 human TCa were used. Three surrounding human non-tumor testicular tissue samples and five mouse testes were used as respective controls. We have semi-quantitatively assessed proliferation and apoptosis by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) using antibodies against proliferation marker PCNA and apoptotic marker caspase-3. WB analysis found no statistically significant difference in PCNA and caspase-3 expression between TCa and their controls. In contrary to PCNA, IHC analysis for overall caspase-3 found statistically significant difference between human and mouse TCa. Human TCa exhibited higher caspase-3 staining, predominantly in EC component, while EC component in mouse TCa was mostly unstained. Proliferative activity of human and mouse TCa correspond and exhibit the same tissue localization while their apoptotic activity significantly differs in the EC component. This discrepancy could be explained by different microenvironment and requires more detailed investigation of the models behavior.

teratocarcinoma ; proliferation

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