OCT4 (POU5F1, OTF3, OCT3)

OCT4 is a POU-domain transcription factor. It is present on chromosome 6p21.3. Oct4 maintains pluropotentiality. It is detectable in embryonic stem and germ cells but downregulated in all differentiated somatic cell types5. It binds transcription sites through octamer motifs, including that for fibroblast growth factor 4 and platelet-derived growth factor a receptor3. Knockout of the gene is lethal in mice2. Staining is nuclear.

Immunohistochemical expression

 

Testicular tumours

OCT4

 

Carcinoma in situ

positive2

Mixed germ cell tumour (64 cases1), containing various combinations of components

seminoma

51/511, 49/492

embryonal carcinoma

54/541, positive2

yolk sac tumour

0/381, negative2

mature teratoma

0/311, negative2

immature teratoma

0/201, negative2

choriocarcinoma

0/151, negative2

Spermatocytic seminoma

0/51, negative2

Leydig cell tumour

0/81

Sertoli cell tumour

0/61

Unclassified sex cord stromal tumour

0/41

Adenomatoid tumour

0/21

Testicular tumour of adrenogenital syndrome

0/11

Granulosa cell tumour

0/11

Ovarian tumours

Germ cell tumour

Ovarian dysgerminoma

2/22, 35/34

Gonadoblastoma

1/12, 2/24

Mature teratoma

0/144

Yolk sac tumour

0/44

Embryonal carcinoma

no data4

Leydig cell tumour

0/14

Sertoli cell tumour

0/14

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour

0/134

Granulosa cell tumour

Adult type

0/134

Juvenile type

0/94

Brenner tumour

0/34

Carcinoid tumour

0/44

Struma ovarii

0/24

Fibroma

0/54

Thecoma

0/14

Clear cell adenocarcinoma

4/144

Serous adenocarcinoma

0/54

Endometrioid adenocarcinoma

0/44

Small cell carcinoma, hypercalcaemic type

0/64

Stromal sarcoma

0/14

Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell type

0/24

Burkitt's

0/34

Small cleaved B-cell type

0/14

Metastatic malignant melanoma

0/14

Metastatic carcinoid

0/24

Metastatic small cell carcinoma

0/14

Metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast

0/14

Non-gonadal tumours

CNS

germinoma

25/255

glioblastoma multiforme

0/105

lymphoma

0/45

pineoblastoma

0/35

metastatic malignant melanoma

0/45

capillary haemangioma

0/105

pituitary adenoma

0/55

meningioma

0/45

Schwannoma

0/45

metastatic carcinoma

0/55

non-testicular tumour microarray of 3439 tumours2, all non-gonadal tumours negative, except:

Pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma

1/502

Pulmonary large cell carcinoma

1/472

Renal clear cell carcinoma

1/502

     

Diagnostic utility

References

1 Jones, T. D., T. M. Ulbright, et al. (2004). "OCT4 Staining in Testicular Tumors: A Sensitive and Specific Marker for Seminoma and Embryonal Carcinoma." Am J Surg Pathol 28(7): 935-40.

2 Looijenga, L. H., H. Stoop, et al. (2003). "POU5F1 (OCT3/4) identifies cells with pluripotent potential in human germ cell tumors." Cancer Res 63(9): 2244-50. FULL TEXT AVAILABLE ON LINE.

3 Palumbo, C., K. van Roozendaal, et al. (2002). "Expression of the PDGF alpha-receptor 1.5 kb transcript, OCT-4, and c-KIT in human normal and malignant tissues. Implications for the early diagnosis of testicular germ cell tumours and for our understanding of regulatory mechanisms." J Pathol 196(4): 467-77.

4 Cheng, L., A. Thomas, et al. (2004). "OCT4: a novel biomarker for dysgerminoma of the ovary." Am J Surg Pathol 28(10): 1341-6.

5 Hattab EM, Tu PH, Wilson JD,Cheng L OCT4 Immunohistochemistry Is Superior to Placental Alkaline Phosphatase (PLAP) in the Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Germinoma. Am J Surg Pathol 2005; 29:368-371

6 Jones TD, MacLennan GT, Bonnin JM, et al. Screening for intratubular germ cell neoplasia of the testis using OCT4 immunohistochemistry. Am J Surg Pathol 2006; 30:1427-31

This page last revised 4.1.2007.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop