[Expression of NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 cancer-testis antigens in hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 cancer-testis antigens as targets for immunotherapy and the relationship between corresponding gene expression and biologic behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
The expression of NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 was studied in frozen tumor tissues from 30 cases of HCC by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. NY-ESO-1 expression and its distribution were further studied by immunohistochemistry in a tissue array contained 191 cases of HCC.


RESULTS
NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 mRNAs were expressed in 33.3% (10/30) and 16.7% (5/30) of HCC respectively. Either NY-ESO-1 or LAGE-1 was expressed in 36.7% (11/30) cases. NY-ESO-1 was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. It was positive in 13.8% (24/174) cases of HCC. There was an increased expression of NY-ESO-1 from 6.8%, 3/44 in small HCC, 16.2%, 21/130 in advanced HCC and 23.1%, 12/52 in metastatic HCC. The expression in the non-metastatic group was 9.8% (12/122). The differences between the metastatic group and non-metastatic group (< 0.05) and between normal liver tissue and HCC (< 0.01) were statistically significant. There was no relationship between NY-ESO-1 expression and tumor size. NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 were not detected in adjacent normal liver tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 are expressed in a high percentage of HCC, especially in cases with metastasis. It is thus possible that NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1 can serve as targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy in HCC and NY-ESO-1 peptide vaccination may be of use for patients with advanced HCC.
Zhang
Wen-min
WM
Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Medical College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Xiao
Gang
G
Zhang
Meng
M
Guo
Ai-lin
AL
Dong
Yu
Y
Wen
Jian-ming
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; C104948:CTAG1B protein, human; C510162:CTAG2 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger