Marta Jaconi1, Fulvio Magni1, Francesca Raimondo1, Maurilio Ponzoni2, Clizia Chinello1, Andrew Smith1, Isabella Piga1, Nicola Fusco3, Camillo Di Bella1, Fabio Pagni4.
Abstract
AIMS: Very recent papers proposed a possible role for the expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in the tumourigenesis of gonadal and extragonadal germ cell-derived tumours (GCTs). Our multicentric study evaluated the magnitude of the immunoreactivity for TdT in GCTs, encompassing seminoma, dysgerminoma, mature teratoma and mixed GCTs. METHODS AND
RESULTS: The histological series was stained with both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, yielding a positivity of 80% of cases with well-defined nuclear reactivity. A significant difference in staining intensity between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies was observed (p=0.005). However, exploiting western blot and more innovative proteomic approaches, no clear-cut evidence of the TdT protein was observed in the neoplastic tissues of the series.
CONCLUSIONS: Alternatively to the pathogenetic link between TdT expression and GCTs tumourigenesis, we hypothesised the occurrence of a spurious immunohistochemical nuclear cross-reaction, a well-known phenomenon with important implications and a possible source of diagnostic pitfalls in routine practice for pathologists. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
AIMS: Very recent papers proposed a possible role for the expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in the tumourigenesis of gonadal and extragonadal germ cell-derived tumours (GCTs). Our multicentric study evaluated the magnitude of the immunoreactivity for TdT in GCTs, encompassing seminoma, dysgerminoma, mature teratoma and mixed GCTs. METHODS AND
RESULTS: The histological series was stained with both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, yielding a positivity of 80% of cases with well-defined nuclear reactivity. A significant difference in staining intensity between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies was observed (p=0.005). However, exploiting western blot and more innovative proteomic approaches, no clear-cut evidence of the TdT protein was observed in the neoplastic tissues of the series.
CONCLUSIONS: Alternatively to the pathogenetic link between TdT expression and GCTs tumourigenesis, we hypothesised the occurrence of a spurious immunohistochemical nuclear cross-reaction, a well-known phenomenon with important implications and a possible source of diagnostic pitfalls in routine practice for pathologists. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Entities:
Keywords:
differential diagnosis; genital system; germinal cell tumor; haematopoietic; seminoma; tdt; terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
Mesh：
Substances：
Year: 2019
PMID： 31055472 DOI： 10.1136/jclinpath-2019-205713
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Clin Pathol ISSN： 0021-9746 Impact factor: 3.411