Bedeutung molekularer Alterationen kritischer Regionen auf Chromosom 12p für die Differenzierung testikulärer Keimzelltumoren

The above thesis is of experimental character and was carried out under supervision of Prof. Dr. med. Axel Heidenreich, former Oberarzt in the Department for Urology and Children’s Urology, University Hospital at Philipps University Marburg, currently Bereichsleiter Uroonkologie, University Hospital at the University of Cologne. My thesis combines elements of Urology, Oncology and Molecular Biology. Testicular cancer is the leading solid malignancy in men aged 15 to 35 years. In fact 95 % of all testicular cancers are germ cell tumors. The main objective of my thesis was to analyze if an active expression of SOX5, K-ras and JAW1 genes, which are localized on the short arm of chromosome 12p, are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of testicular germ cell tumors. The tumor specific expression pattern of SOX5, K-ras and JAW1 in testicular germ cell tumors and adjacent normal tissue, divided by micro dissection, was analyzed by semi quantitative PCR for the first time. I was able to prove that SOX5 and K-ras are not responsible genes involved in the pathogenesis of testicular germ cell tumors. Findings in my thesis suggest that JAW1 might play a minor role in the development of germ cell tumors.