Expression of two testis-specific genes, SPATA19 and LEMD1, in prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Screening methods for early detection of prostate cancer have some limitations regarding specificity and sensitivity, so there is a continuing search to find new cancer biomarkers. Cancer-testis genes are a group of genes with expression almost limited to testis and different kinds of tumors. Since testis is an immune privileged site, if these genes are expressed in tumors, they can be immunogenic. We undertook this study to find new members of the cancer-testis gene family appropriate for cancer immunotherapy


METHODS
We analyzed the expression of six testis-specific genes called ODF1, ODF2, ODF3, ODF4, LEMD1 and SPATA19 in 30 prostate cancer and 25 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) samples by RT-PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).


RESULTS
Of the prostate cancer samples, 10, 10, 23 and 40% showed ODF1, ODF2, LEMD1 and SPATA19 specific bands, respectively, but none of the BPH samples expressed any of these genes. The difference between prostate cancer and BPH groups for LEMD1 and SPATA19 expression was significant. Mean serum PSA level was significantly higher in patients expressing ODF2 than in the other patients.


CONCLUSIONS
ODF1, ODF2, SPATA19 and LEMD1 are members of cancer-testis gene family. In addition, LEMD1 and SPATA19 are putative cancer biomarkers and promising targets for active immunotherapy.
Ghafouri-Fard
Soudeh
S
Medical Genetics Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ousati Ashtiani
Zahra
Z
Sabah Golian
Bareto
B
Hasheminasab
Seyyed-Mohammad
SM
Modarressi
Mohammad Hossein
MH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; C495106:LEMD1 protein, human; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C086058:ODF1 protein, human; C490107:ODF2 protein, human; C475607:SPATA19 protein, human; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen