title: Prospective study on the expression of cancer testis genes and antibody responses in 100 consecutive patients with primary breast cancer.
abstract: To determine the expression of cancer testis (CT) genes and antibody responses in a nonselected population of patients with primary breast cancer, we investigated the composite expression of 11 CT genes by RT-PCR in fresh biopsies of 100 consecutive cases of primary breast carcinoma and by immunohistology in selected RT-PCR-positive cases. Antibody responses against 7 CT antigens were analyzed using recombinant antigen expression on yeast surface. In 98 evaluable cases, SCP-1 and SSX-4 were expressed most frequently (both 65%), followed by HOM-TES-85/CT-8 (47%), GAGE (26%), SSX-1 (20%), NY-ESO-1 (13%), MAGE-3 (11%), SSX-2 (8%), CT-10 (7%), MAGE-4 (4%) and CT-7 (1%). One CT gene was expressed by 90% of the cases; 79% expressed > or =2, 48% > or =3, 29% > or =4, 12% > or =5, 6% > or =6, 3% > or =7, 2% > or =8 and one case coexpressed 9 antigens. Of 100 serum samples screened for CT antigen-specific antibodies, antibodies against NY-ESO-1 were detected in 4 patients, against SCP-1 in 6 patients and against SSX-2 in 1 patient, while no antibodies were detected against MAGE-3, CT-7 and CT-10. Expression of CT genes or antibody responses was not correlated with clinical parameters (menopausal status, tumor size, nodal involvement, grading, histology and estrogen receptor status) or the demonstration of CT gene expression at the protein level, by immunohistology. Our results show that breast carcinomas are among the tumors with the most frequent expression of CT antigens, rendering many patients potential candidates for vaccine trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Saarland Medical School, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mischo
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kubuschok
authors.forename: Kubilay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ertan
authors.forename: Klaus-Dieter
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Preuss
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Romeike
authors.forename: Evi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Regitz
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schormann
authors.forename: Diederik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Bruijn
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wadle
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfreundschuh
mesh_terms: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen