Human endodermal sinus tumour in nude mice and its markers for diagnosis and management

Two human endodermal sinus tumours (yolk sac tumours) were transplanted successfully into nude mice. The transplanted tumours maintained not only morphological characters, such as Schiller-Duval bodies, but also the ability to synthesise alpha-fetoprotein, lactic dehydrogenase 1, liver and bone type alkaline phosphatase, and some human serum proteins. Since these tumours produced lactic dehydrogenase 1 but not the other four isozymes of lactic dehydrogenase, this isozyme, like alpha-fetoprotein, seems to be a good marker for the diagnosis and management of cases of endodermal sinus tumour. One of the two tumours produced another fetal antigen or carcinoembryonic antigen in addition to alpha-fetoprotein. These two endodermal sinus tumours, with their various markers in nude mice, will be useful in studies on diagnostic markers.