Expression of MAGE genes in primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma.
Human genes MAGE-1 and MAGE-3 code for antigens that are recognized on melanoma cells by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. These antigens may constitute useful targets for specific anti-tumor immunization of cancer patients, since genes MAGE-1 and MAGE-3 are expressed in a number of tumors of different histological types, but are not expressed in normal adult tissues other than testis. This also applies to genes MAGE-2 and MAGE-4, which are closely related to MAGE-1 and MAGE-3. We have analyzed the expression of these 4 MAGE genes in cutaneous melanoma. Sixteen of 100 primary tumors vs. 69 (48%) of 145 metastases from individual patients expressed MAGE-1. Similar differences in the frequency of gene expression between primary and metastatic tumor samples were observed for MAGE-2, MAGE-3, and MAGE-4. MAGE expression in primary tumors was correlated with tumor thickness: there was a significantly increased frequency in the expression of MAGE-1, -2 and -3 in tumors of greater thickness. Benign and dysplastic nevi, as well as in situ melanomas, did not express any of the 4 MAGE genes.
Brasseur
F
F
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, Belgium.
Rimoldi
D
D
Liénard
D
D
Lethé
B
B
Carrel
S
S
Arienti
F
F
Suter
L
L
Vanwijck
R
R
Bourlond
A
A
Humblet
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C072011:MAGEA1 protein, human; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; C072012:MAGEB2 protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins