A new strategy for the diagnosis of MAGE-expressing cancers.
The expression of melanoma antigen gene (MAGE), coding for tumor antigens recognized by cytotoxic T cell, is highly specific to cancer cells, but their use in the detection of a few cancer cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been limited by the low frequency of expression of individual MAGE genes. In order to increase MAGE detection rate in RT-PCR assay, here, we designed multiple MAGEs recognizing primers (MMRPs) that can bind to the sequences of cDNA of MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4a, -4b, -5a, -5b and-6 (MAGE 1-6) together. The nested RT-PCR assay using MMRPs, MAGE 1-6 assay, detected MAGE messages of 1 to 5 SNU484 cells in a background of 10(7) SNU638 cells. MAGE detection rate of MAGE 1-6 assay in cancers was higher than that of nested RT-PCR that detects single MAGE gene expression. The expressions of MAGE genes was detected by MAGE 1-6 assay in 70.4% (19/27) of head and neck cancer tissues, 91.7% (11/12) of breast cancer tissues, 75% (9/12) of lung cancer tissues. However, they were not detected in 18 benign lesions and 20 normal head and neck tissues and 30 blood samples from healthy donor. In conclusions, MAGE 1-6 assay can detect any cancer cells that express at least one of eight MAGE subtype genes, and this method may be very useful for the diagnosis of MAGE-expressing cancers.
The Institute of Medical Science, Keimyung University School of Medicine, iC&G Co., Taegu, South Korea.
Jong Wook
JW
Park
Taeg Kyu
TK
Kwon
In Ho
IH
Kim
Soo Sang
SS
Sohn
You Sah
YS
Kim
Chun Il
CI
Kim
Ok Suk
OS
Bae
Kyung Seop
KS
Lee
Kang Dae
KD
Lee
Cheong Sam
CS
Lee
Hee Kyung
HK
Chang
Byung Kil
BK
Choe
Su Yul
SY
Ahn
Chang Ho
CH
Jeon
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C072011:MAGEA1 protein, human; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; C095204:MAGEA4 protein, human; C095203:MAGEA6 protein, human; C072012:MAGEB2 protein, human; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm