The concentrations of hCG in human tissues were measured. One hundred and nine tissue samples were obtained by surgery and autopsy. They were composed of genitourinary tumor tissues, normal tissues and tissues of benign diseases-testicular tumors, normal testes, renal adenocarcinomas, normal kidneys, benign prostatic hyperplasias (BPHs), bladder tumors and so on. HCG concentrations in peripheral and testicular venous blood were also measured in almost the same patients (peripheral venous blood in 59 samples, testicular venous blood in 36 samples).
The concentrations of hCG in tissue extracts and serum were measured by radioimmunoassay with anti hCG-β antiserum.
The following results were obtained.
1) In all of normal testes, seminomas and non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGTs), tissue concentrations of hCG were positive. The average of them were 66.6, 439.7 and 3355ng/g·tissue.
2) HCG concentrations in the testes of prostatic cancer patients under diethylstilbesterol diphosphate administration were positive in 68.8% of them and the average of them was 19.2ng/g·tissue.
3) Positive tissue concentration of hCG in the normal kidney was seen in 66.7% and 41.7% in renal adenocarcinomas.
4) HCG was detectable in 85.7% of bladder tumor tissues composed of transitional cell carcinoma, 60% of normal epididymis and 33.3% of BPH.
5) HCG concentration of testicular venous blood was positive in 91.7% of seminoma and 50% of NSGTs, but was detectable in none of testes under anti-androgen therapy and normal condition.
6) Positive rate of hCG in peripheral venous blood was 58.8% in seminomas and 60% in NSGTs.
7) In three of four patients with testicular tumors, hCG concentrations of tissue, testicular and peripheral venous blood were related with gradient, the highest in the former, and so hCG secretion from tumors was suggested.
8) Dilution curves of testicular tumor extracts and standard curve of CR119 hCG were parallel on the semi-logarithmic section paper in such a way that the existence of hCG-like substance was justified.
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