Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.4 (trypsin)
 42,187 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have derived and characterized a new cell line from a teratoma with a embryonal carcinoma and seminoma. The medium used for the cell culture was Eagle's MEM synthetic culture medium (Gibco Inc.) supplemented with 10% new calf serum (Tissue plus, Mitsubishi Kasei Co.). Subcultures were performed on 3 to 4 days basis at 1:2 split by the use of 0.25% trypsin solution. The morphology of obtained cells was a epithelial-like shape and the cell grew in a monolayered sheet with about 30-32 hrs of population doubling time. The model chromosome number of this cell line was 73 including one large submetacentric marker chromosome. The temperature sensitivity and the tumorigenicity of this cell were tested in this experiment.
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PMID:[Establishment and characterization of a new human germ cell tumor strain (NOC-Ts) in culture]. 195 31

The authors investigated the presence and distribution of keratin in germ cell tumors using a rabbit-anti-keratin antiserum and a monoclonal antikeratin antibody--which is specific for keratin classes of 40, 50, and 56.5 kdaltons--by various immunohistochemical methods on frozen sections, alcohol-fixed, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Thirty-four germ cell tumors were studied. These were the following: 18 seminomas, 10 embryonal carcinomas, 2 teratocarcinomas, 3 yolk sac tumors and 1 choriocarcinoma. All seminomas, including four poorly differentiated (so-called anaplastic seminomas), gave negative results, regardless of the method employed. Embryonal carcinoma, the epithelial component of the teratocarcinoma, the yolk sac tumors, and choriocarcinoma were at least focally positive for keratin. The monoclonal antibody provided a cleaner background and stronger staining than the rabbit-anti-total-human-epidermal-keratin antibody. Best results were obtained from fresh-frozen sections or alcohol-fixed, paraffin-embedded materials. Formalin-fixed, nonseminomatous tumors, when predigested with trypsin and incubated overnight with primary antibody, gave no false-negative results but staining was often focal. The authors' results agree with the reported absence of detectable keratin in primordial germ cells of the normal testis, and with prevailing concepts of the histogenesis of germ cell tumors. These results indicate that the presence or absence of keratin by immunocytochemical methods can be helpful in distinguishing seminoma from embryonal carcinoma.
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PMID:Antikeratin antibodies in tumor diagnosis. Distinction between seminoma and embryonal carcinoma. 620 39

Protease activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is the receptor for the prototype mast cell product tryptase. PAR-2 expression by cells of the human germinal epithelium was reported, but the exact cellular sites of testicular expression remained unknown. That became of interest, because mast cells, expressing tryptase, were found in the walls of seminiferous tubules of patients suffering from sub- and infertility. This location suggested that mast cells via tryptase might be able to influence PAR-2-expressing cells in the germinal epithelium. To explore these points, we used testicular paraffin-embedded sections for immunohistochemistry. PAR-2-positive cells were mostly basally located cells of the seminiferous epithelium, namely spermatogonia. Some stained for the receptor for GDNF (GFRalpha-1), and possibly represent spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). As true human SSCs could not be examined, we turned to TCam-2 seminoma cells, expressing PAR-2 and stem cell markers, including GFRalpha-1. TCam-2 cells robustly responded to stimulation with a specific PAR-2 agonist (SLIGKV) by increased intracellular Ca(2+) levels. Recombinant tryptase and trypsin, but not a control peptide (VKGILS) evoked this response, implying functional PAR-2. Video imaging and caspase 3/7 assays showed that SLIGKV and tryptase prevented spontaneous apoptosis and increased proliferation of TCam-2 cells. The expression of the marker of pluripotency OCT3/4 was unchanged upon activation of PAR-2, suggesting that the stem cell-like character is not changed. Furthermore, human germ cell cancers were examined. A subset of seminoma and carcinoma in situ samples expressed PAR-2, indicating that yet unknown subgroups exist. Collectively, the descriptive data obtained in human testicular sections, in germ cell cancers and the functional results in TCam-2 cells imply a trophic role of mast cell-derived tryptase for human germ cells. This may be relevant for subtypes of human germ cell cancers, and possibly SSCs. It also raises the possibility that PAR-2 agonists might be useful for the in vitro propagation of human SSCs.
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PMID:Are testicular mast cells involved in the regulation of germ cells in man? 2491 55