GPR30 is overexpressed in post-puberal testicular germ cell tumors

GPR30 is a 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled estrogen receptor that functions alongside traditional estrogen receptors to regulate cellular responses to 17 beta-estradiol and environmental estrogens. In this study, we have evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis GPR30 expression in post-puberal testicular germ cell tumors (30 seminomas, 5 teratomas, 12 embryonal carcinomas and 20 intratubular germ cell tumors). The GPR30 protein expression was detected at high level in all intratubular germ cell tumors, seminomas and embryonal carcinomas, whereas in teratomas the expression was low. The immunohistochemical data were further confirmed by western blot analysis. GPR30 protein expression has also been analyzed in GC1 and TCam-2 cell lines, respectively derived from immortalized type B murine spermatogonia and human seminoma. Our results indicate that GPR30 could be a potential therapeutic target; the design of a specific GPR30 inhibitors could be a useful molecular target to block neoplastic germ cells with a high proliferative rate for the treatment of TGCTs.