CIS/ITGCNU and seminomatous cells are characterized by expression of OCT3/4 and NANOG, while in addition embryonal carcinoma expresses SOX2, all identified as transcription factors related to pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells.
We now demonstrate reprogramming of DNA methylation and histone modifications on regulatory regions of the developmentally regulated OCT4 and NANOG genes by exposure of 293T cells to EC cell extract.
Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR analysis were used to demonstrate that NANOG is highly and specifically expressed in carcinoma in situ (CIS), embryonal carcinomas, and seminomas, but not in teratomas and yolk sac tumors.
We detected abundant expression of NANOG in CIS and in CIS-derived testicular tumours with marked differences; seminoma and embryonal carcinoma were strongly positive, differentiated somatic elements of teratoma were negative.