Transgenic expression of P1A induced thymic tumor: a role for onco-fetal antigens in tumorigenesis.
P1A is the first known tumor rejection antigen. It is expressed in embryonic stem cells and multiple tumors but is silent in adult tissues except for the testis and placenta. Therefore, P1A represents a prototype for onco-fetal antigens. To test the potential function of P1A in tumorigenesis, we used a transgenic mouse expressing P1A in lymphoid cells. We observed that immunodeficient host P1A transgenic mice developed thymic tumors after 7 months of age and had shorter survival rates compared to control groups. Most of the 7 examined tumors displayed B cell lineage markers. The P1A transgenic bone marrow cells had higher proliferation ability and more potential progenitors compared to control bone marrow cells. To our knowledge, our data provided the first example that onco-fetal antigen can promote tumorigenesis.
Li
Chi-Shan
CS
Division of Immunotherapy, Section of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.
Chen
Chong
C
Zheng
Pan
P
Liu
Yang
Y
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000941:Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D051379:Mice; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
D000941:Antigens