[Melanoma antigen-3 expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of melanoma antigen-3 (MAGE-3) mRNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and probe into the theoretical feasibility that MAGE-3 antigens can be developed as a new peptide vaccine for immunotherapy in HCC patients.


METHODS
The expression of MAGE-3 mRNA in HCC tissues and the adjacent non-HCC liver tissues was studied using RT-PCR in 45 HCC patients. The results were compared with those of 16 cirrhotic patients and 12 patients whose liver tissues were pathologically normal. MAGE-3 mRNA positive PCR products were DNA sequenced in 3 HCC patients. The sequenced fragments of MAGE-3 cDNA were used as template by which a [alpha(32)P] labeled probe was synthesized and employed for Southern blot analysis. HLA class I-A and -B typing of 43 HCC patients were assayed by ELISA.


RESULTS
Of the 45 HCC samples, 35 (78%) expressed MAGE-3 mRNA and six HCC adjacent tissues were also positive in MAGE-3 expression. Pathological examination showed cellular heteromorphism in these adjacent tissues. The non-HCC liver tissues from cirrhosis and normal liver samples were not MAGE-3 mRNA detectable. The DNA sequence confirmed that the target gene fragment in all of the 3 samples of PCR products was MAGE-3 cDNA. Southern blotting result confirmed that of RT-PCR assay. In HCC patients, the predominant types of HLA were A(2) (53.5%), A(11) (25.6%), A(24) (20.9%), A(33) (20.9%), B(13) (28.3%), and B(35) (23.2%). MAGE-3 mRNA expression in HCC showed no correlation with the level of serum AFP and the size of the tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
MAGE-3 mRNA is expressed at a high percentage of HCC samples. This tumor rejection antigen may be used as peptide vaccine for immunotherapy of HCC patients. The phenomena that some non-HCC adjacent tissues with heteromorphism can express MAGE-3 like their paired HCC tissues indicate that the expression of MAGE-3 may be an indicator in the early stage of carcinogenesis of liver tissues.
Cai
S
S
Department of Surgery, People's Hospital, Beijing University, Beijing 100044, China.
Zhao
H
H
Leng
X
X
Cheng
J
J
Gong
S
S
Peng
J
J
Cong
X
X
Wang
Y
Y
Rui
J
J
Hui
Y
Y
Du
R
R
Chen
W
W
D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006680:HLA Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger