title: Enhanced expression of cancer testis antigen genes in glioma stem cells.
abstract: Cancer stem cells are an important target for effective therapy, since they show tumorigenicity, chemoresistance, and radioresistance. We isolated cancer stem cells from glioma cell lines and tissues and examined the expression of cancer testis antigen (CTA) genes as potential target molecules for cancer vaccine therapy. CTA genes were highly and frequently expressed in cancer stem cells compared with differentiated cells. In addition, histone acetylation levels in the promoter regions of CTA genes were high in cancer stem cells and low in differentiated cells, while DNA methylation analysis of the promoter regions revealed hypomethylation in cancer stem cells. This epigenetic difference between cells leads to heterogeneous expression of CTA genes in the tumor mass, which consists of cells at various levels of differentiation. Moreover, the expression level of HLA class I antigens was not affected by the differentiation status, suggesting that CTA genes may present as surface antigens in cancer stem cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that CTA genes may be attractive candidates for targeted vaccine therapy against cancer stem cells in glioma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yawata
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Kae Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chihara
authors.forename: Ayano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumazawa
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyonaga
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masahira
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakabayashi
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006657:Histones; C072013:MAGEA3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins