title: Expression of melanoma-associated antigens in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma-associated antigens-A (MAGE-A) are expressed in a variety of tumors but not in normal tissues. Thus, their detection is highly specific to cancer cells, which makes them potential targets for the diagnosis, prognosis and also immunotherapy of neoplastic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the expression pattern and potential role of MAGE-A antigens in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), expression patterns of MAGE-A1-A6 and A12 were analyzed in 55 OSCC and 20 healthy oral mucosa using high-sensitive reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 85.45% of tumor specimens expressed at least one of these genes. A significant correlation between the expression of MAGE-A1-A6 and A12 and malignancy was ascertained (P = 0.0001). On the contrary, none of the normal mucosal specimens expressed one of the MAGE-A subtypes. Antigen expression did not correlate with clinicopathological parameters, such as TNM classification, grading and clinical stage of OSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple simultaneous detection of MAGE-A1-A6 and A12 expression has been found to be more specific and sensitive than the detection of single MAGE-A antigen for the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of OSCC. In addition, monitoring the expression of several MAGE-A subtypes may determine suitable immunotherapeutic targets. Subsequently, coexpressed genes may be warranted for developing polyvalent vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen/Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. jutta.ries@mkg.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vairaktaris
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mollaoglu
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiltfang
authors.forename: Friedrich W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Neukam
authors.forename: Emeka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nkenke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins