Method for the in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer

Abstract

A method for in vitro diagnosis of testicular cancer includes (i) obtaining a biological sample from a patient suspected of having testicular cancer, (ii) performing an assay to determine the methylation status of CpG dinucleotides in a genomic DNA target sequence, the DNA target sequence being the 5′ LTR U3 promoter sequence of the ERVWE1 locus, optionally further including an activator sequence directly upstream of the 5′ LTR U3 promoter sequence, and (iii) diagnosing the patient with testicular cancer when the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated as compared to a methylation status indicative of the absence of testicular cancer.

1 . A method for in vitro diagnosis of testicular cancer, comprising:
 obtaining a biological sample from a patient suspected of having testicular cancer;   performing an assay to determine the methylation status of CpG dinucleotides in a genomic DNA target sequence, the DNA target sequence being at least one sequence selected from the group consisting of sequences having at least 99% sequence identity with the full-length sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or 7 and the sequences fully complementary thereto; and   diagnosing the patient with testicular cancer when the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated as compared to a methylation status indicative of the absence of testicular cancer,   wherein the assay comprises:   extracting genomic DNA from the biological sample;   treating the extracted genomic DNA to convert cytosine bases of CpG dinucleotides that are nonmethylated at position 5 into uracil bases;   amplifying the treated genomic DNA target sequence; and   determining the methylation status of the CpG dinucleotides in the genomic DNA target sequence from the amplified genomic DNA target sequence.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the extracted genomic DNA is treated using hydrogen sulfite, disulfite, bisulfite, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treated genomic DNA target sequence is amplified using at least one primer comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of the full-length sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 46-49. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is a testicular tissue extract or a biological fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is blood, serum, plasma, urine, or seminal fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated if 60% or less of the CpG dinucleotides are methylated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated if 30% or less of the CpG dinucleotides are methylated. 
     
     
         8 . A method for in vitro diagnosis of testicular cancer, comprising:
 obtaining a biological sample from a patient suspected of having testicular cancer;   performing an assay to determine the methylation status of CpG dinucleotides in a genomic DNA target sequence, the DNA target sequence being the 5′ LTR U3 promoter sequence of the ERVWE1 locus, optionally further including an activator sequence directly upstream of the 5′ LTR U3 promoter sequence; and   diagnosing the patient with testicular cancer when the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated as compared to a methylation status indicative of the absence of testicular cancer,   wherein the assay comprises:   extracting genomic DNA from the biological sample;   treating the extracted genomic DNA to convert cytosine bases of CpG dinucleotides that are nonmethylated at position 5 into uracil bases;   amplifying the treated genomic DNA target sequence; and   determining the methylation status of the CpG dinucleotides in the genomic DNA target sequence from the amplified genomic DNA target sequence.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the extracted genomic DNA is treated using hydrogen sulfite, disulfite, bisulfite, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the treated genomic DNA target sequence is amplified using at least one primer comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of the full-length sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 46-49. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biological sample is a testicular tissue extract or a biological fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biological sample is blood, serum, plasma, urine, or seminal fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated if 60% or less of the CpG dinucleotides are methylated. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated if 30% or less of the CpG dinucleotides are methylated.