Expression of protein gene product 9.5 and Sal-like protein 4 in canine seminomas

The aim of the present study was to characterize canine classical seminoma (SE) and spermatocytic seminoma (SS) by immunohistochemical expression of gonocytic and spermatogonial cellular markers (c-Kit, placental alkaline phosphatase [PLAP], protein gene product 9.5 [PGP9.5] and Sal-like protein 4 [Sall4]) and histochemically by the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction. Twenty-five cases of SE and 23 cases of SS were investigated. Two cases of dysgerminoma were also examined. c-Kit was expressed on the cell membrane of 13 of 25 cases of SE (52%) and four of 23 cases of SS (16%). This marker was not expressed in dysgerminoma. PLAP immunoreactivity was observed in the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells of six of 25 cases of SE (24%). PLAP was not expressed in cases of SS and dysgerminoma. All samples of SE, SS and dysgerminoma showed cytoplasmic expression of PGP9.5 and nuclear immunoreactivity for Sall4. There was fine granular cytoplasmic PAS staining in neoplastic cells in five of 25 cases of SE (20%), while all samples of SS and dysgerminoma cases were PAS negative. These findings suggest that it is not possible to differentiate canine SE and SS using these markers. This may be because canine SS may be derived from spermatogonia that can differentiate to spermatocytes and also because cases of canine SE might consist of neoplastic cells that have lost their gonocytic nature. This study was the first to show positive immunoreactivity for Sall4 in canine seminomas and dysgerminomas and expression of PGP9.5 in canine dysgerminomas.