title: Expression of the MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 cancer-testis antigens in serous ovarian neoplasms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The cancer-testis (CT) family of antigens is expressed in a variety of malignant neoplasms and is silent in normal tissues, except for the testis. Expression of two members of this family, MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1, has been described in melanomas, germ cell tumors, certain carcinomas and sarcomas, and more recently in uterine neoplasms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the extent and prognostic significance of CT antigen expression in ovarian serous neoplasms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four patients with ovarian neoplasms, including 10 with serous cystadenomas, 11 with serous tumors of borderline malignancy, and 53 with serous carcinomas, were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed with the 57B monoclonal antibody, which recognizes predominantly the MAGE-A4 antigen and the D8.38 antibody that recognizes NY-ESO-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MAGE-A4 expression was found to be present in 57% of the serous carcinomas and only in 9% of the serous tumors of borderline malignancy. No staining was detected in serous cystadenomas or in the normal ovary. In 8 of 30 positively stained serous carcinomas, >50% of the tumor cells expressed MAGE-A4. NY-ESO-1 expression was seen in 19% of the serous carcinomas, whereas serous tumors of borderline malignancy and cystadenomas were negative. A significant inverse correlation was found between MAGE-A4 expression and patient survival (P = 0.016). Multivariate analysis revealed that both tumor stage and MAGE-A4 expression were independent predictors of patient survival (P = 0.022 and P = 0.013, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer-testis antigen expression in ovarian serous neoplasms correlates directly with their degree of malignancy. MAGE-A4 expression, and to a lesser degree NY-ESO-1 expression, is characteristic of the majority of serous carcinomas. Determining the degree of MAGE-A4 expression in these tumors may provide important prognostic information. Finally, MAGE-A4 may represent a novel target for immunotherapy in serous ovarian neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Carmel Medical Center and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion University, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Evgeny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yakirevich
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabo
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.forename: Salam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazareb
authors.forename: Giulio C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: Murray B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins