title: The cancer-testis antigens CT7 (MAGE-C1) and MAGE-A3/6 are commonly expressed in multiple myeloma and correlate with plasma-cell proliferation.
abstract: Multiple myeloma is a malignancy of plasma cells. Vaccine immunotherapy is among the novel therapeutic strategies under investigation for this disease. To identify myeloma-associated antigens as potential targets for vaccine immunotherapy, we surveyed a comprehensive panel of bone marrow specimens from patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma for expression of cancer-testis (CT) antigens. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated that 82% of stage-III myeloma specimens expressed the CT antigen CT7 (also known as melanoma antigen C1 [MAGE-C1]) and 70% expressed MAGE-A3/6. Messenger RNA for CT7 and MAGE-A family members was detected in 87% and 100% of stage-III samples, respectively. CT7 protein expression increased with advanced stage of disease. Higher levels of CT7 and MAGE-A3/6 proteins also correlated with elevated plasma-cell proliferation. These results show that CT7 and MAGE-A3/6 are promising myeloma-associated antigens for application in vaccine immunotherapy. Furthermore, the common expression and correlation with proliferation suggest a possible pathogenic role for these proteins in myeloma.
authors.affiliation: New York Branch, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Achim A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jungbluth
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiLiberto
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niesvizky
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frosina
authors.forename: Yao-Tseng
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Selina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen-Kiang
authors.forename: Lloyd J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Old
authors.forename: Hearn Jay
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; C110905:MAGEC1 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger