title: Identification of MAGE-1 and MAGE-4 proteins in spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes of testis.
abstract: The MAGE genes encoding tumor rejection antigens recognized by CTLs are expressed at the mRNA level in various cancers and in the testis but not in the other normal tissues. The expression of MAGE-1 or MAGE-4 protein in the testicular cells was studied immunohistochemically with the antibodies to the recombinant MAGE-1 or MAGE-4 protein. Both proteins were identified in the nucleus and cytoplasm of spermatogonia and in primary spermatocytes but not in spermatids or Sertoli's cells. Therefore, MAGE proteins are normal tissue antigens compartmentalized in particular testicular cells playing an important role in the early phase of the spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shichijo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirohata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C072011:MAGEA1 protein, human; C095204:MAGEA4 protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger