First Evidence of the Expression and Localization of Prothymosin α in Human Testis and Its Involvement in Testicular Cancers

Prothymosin α (PTMA) is a phylogenetically conserved polypeptide in male gonads of Vertebrates. In Mammals, it is a ubiquitous protein, and, possessing a random-coil structure, it interacts with many other partners, in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. PTMA has been widely studied during cell progression in different types of cancer because of its anti-apoptotic and proliferative properties. Here, we provided the first evidence of PTMA expression and localization in human testis and in two testicular cancers (TC): classic seminoma (CS) and Leydig cell tumor (LCT). Data showed that its protein level, together with that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a cell cycle progression marker, increased in both CS and LCT samples, as compared to non-pathological (NP) tissue. Moreover, in the two-cancer tissue, a decreased apoptotic rate and an increased autophagic flux was also evidenced. Results confirmed the anti-apoptotic action of PTMA, also suggesting that it can act as a switcher from apoptosis to autophagy, to favor the survival of testicular cancer cells when they develop in adverse environments. Finally, the combined data, even if they need to be further validated, add new insight into the role of PTMA in human normal and pathological testicular tissue.