Abstract:  Testis-specific protein, Y-encoded (TSPY) gene is a specific gene which is located and encoded on Y chromosome. In humans, TSPY is mainly expressed in fetal and adult testis, where its expression is limited to gonocytes and prespermatogonia during fetal and neonatal development, and restricted to spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and round spermatids in adult testis. TSPY is also expressed, although much more weakly, in epithelial cells of the prostate gland. TSPY has been classified as a tissue-enriched gene that is highly expressed in a specific organ (testis) and is not expressed, or is expressed at much lower levels, in other tissues. It was found in a large number researches that specific expression of TSPY gene exists in many human tumors, which revealed a fact that TSPY gene is closely related to the formation of human tumors. The function and possible mechanism of TSPY gene in the process of tumor formation will be discussed in order to provide scientific reference for the basic research of sex-dependent tumors.

Key words: TSPY gene, human tumor, the mechanism of TSPY gene