Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Paper
  • Published:

Human growth-differentiation factor 3 (hGDF3): developmental regulation in human teratocarcinoma cell lines and expression in primary testicular germ cell tumours

Abstract

We describe the cloning and initial characterization of a novel cDNA from human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. This cDNA, which we named human growth differentiation factor 3 (hGDF3), encodes the homologue of mouse GDF3, a TGFβ superfamily member belonging to the Growth/Differentiation Factors. We have analysed the expression of hGDF3 in human embryonal carcinoma cell lines and in primary testicular germ cell tumours of adolescents and adults (TGCTs). Expression of hGDF3 in human EC cell lines is stem cell-specific, is downregulated upon RA-mediated differentiation and is increased upon culture of the cells in the presence of activin A. In TGCTs, hGDF3 expression is low in seminomas, while expression in non-seminomas is readily detectable and appears to be associated with the EC and yolk sac components in the tumours. We have also mapped the hGDF3 locus to the short arm of human chromosome 12, a region consistently overrepresented in human testicular germ cell tumours. Thus, hGDF3 represents an embryonal carcinoma stem cell-associated marker both in vitro and in vivo.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Caricasole, A., van Schaik, R., Zeinstra, L. et al. Human growth-differentiation factor 3 (hGDF3): developmental regulation in human teratocarcinoma cell lines and expression in primary testicular germ cell tumours. Oncogene 16, 95–103 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1201515

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1201515

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links