title: Expressions of cancer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas.
abstract: Though regular sonographic examination can early detect small hepatocellular carcinoma, the therapeutic results remains unsatisfactory. Antigen-specific immunotherapy is an alternative approach for controlling tumors. The prerequisite for antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy is the identification of appropriate tumor antigens. Recently, a new category of tumor-specific shared antigens, called cancer-testis antigens, has been identified. The cancer-testis antigens have been found in a variety of cancers. However, the expression of cancer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas is unknown. The aim of this current study is to investigate the expression of cancer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression of the SSX-1,-2,-4,-5, SCP-1, NY-ESO-1 genes in tumorous and corresponding non-tumorous liver tissues. In the 30 hepatocellular carcinomas studied, SSX-1,-2,-4,-5, SCP-1, and NY-ESO-1 mRNA expressions were detected in 24 (80%), 14 (46.7%), 22 (73.3%), 10 (33.3%), 2 (6.7%), and 11 (36.7%), respectively. Expressions of these genes were detected in few non-tumor liver tissues. The cancer-testis antigens are expressed in a high percentage of hepatocellular carcinomas. These cancer-testis antigen gene products are potential targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sheu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C093962:synovial sarcoma X breakpoint proteins