Characterization of a novel rat gene RTAP2a, screened by cross-reactive SEREX, restrictedly expressed in testis.
Genes involved in tumorigenesis may be targets for cancer immunotherapy. For many tumor types, molecular signatures do not yet exist. Methods that identify novel, tissue-specific tumor-related genes therefore have potentially important implications for developing cancer immunotherapy. Here, we used cross-reactive serological analysis of recombinant cDNA expression (CR-SEREX) to identify the novel testicular cancer-related gene, rat testicular antigenic protein 2 (RTAP2). We identified two RTAP2 splice variants (RTAP2a and RTAP2b) encoding 191 and 358 amino acid proteins, respectively. RTAP2a and RTAP2b proteins have identical N-termini but different C-terminal regions arising from alternative splicing of exon 4. Bioinformatics and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that the RTAP2a transcript was expressed selectively in adult testis and several tumor cell lines, while RTAP2b was ubiquitous. Our results suggest that RTAP2a may contribute to testicular development and tumorigenesis, and may be a candidate gene for cancer immunotherapy.
Yang
Hanshuo
H
Department of Thoracic Oncology of Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, No.1 Keyuan Road 4th, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China.
Wang
Chunting
C
Wang
Rui
R
Deng
Hongxin
H
Ding
Zhenyu
Z
Yang
Jinliang
J
Lu
You
Y
Li
Jiong
J
Zhang
Peng
P
Mao
Yongqiu
Y
Kan
Bing
B
Wei
Lin
L
Peng
Feng
F
Wei
Yuquan
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051381:Rats; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C542931:LOC498971 protein, rat; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms