Radioimmunoassay and Immunoperoxidase of Pregnancy Specific Beta-1 Glycoprotein in Sera and Tumor Cells of Patients with Certain Testicular Germ Cell Tumors

Abstract

An immunohistologic study on 13 of 97 patients with germ cell tumors of the testis having elevated serum pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein was undertaken to correlate the presence of this marker in the various cell types of this tumor. Four placentas were obtained from patients in the first trimester of pregnancy and studied for the presence of pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein in various cells of this organ using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Specific beta-1 glycoprotein was demonstrated in the syncytiotrophoblastic component of choriocarcinoma. This placental marker also was localized in syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells occasionally associated with embryonal carcinoma, with or without teratoma. All 13 patients were chosen for the presence of an elevated level of pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein in the sera. There was tissue localization of pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein in 3 of 4 cases of choriocarcinoma (75 per cent), 4 of 4 samples of placenta (100 per cent), 4 of 5 cases of embryonal carcinoma (80 per cent) and 2 of 4 cases of teratocarcinoma (50 per cent).