title: Limited expression of cancer-testis antigens in renal cell carcinoma patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of expression of the cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) NY-ESO-1, MAGE-A4 and SAGE, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients compared to that in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, which represent a positive control with a high incidence of CTA expression, to identify novel target antigens for immunotherapy. We prospectively examined frozen tissue samples collected from surgery or biopsy from 35 RCC and 40 HNC patients. Total RNA was extracted, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT)-PCR was performed to determine the expression of MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE. MAGE-A4 was not detected in any of the RCC samples, although a low incidence of NY-ESO-1 (5.7%; 2/35) and SAGE (2.9%; 1/35) expression was observed. No samples demonstrated co-expression of the three CTAs. By contrast, a comparatively high incidence of CTA expression was detected in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) specimens of HNC patients. The actual incidence was 42.5% (17/40) for MAGE-A4, 20% (8/40) for NY-ESO-1 and 15% (6/40) for SAGE. The incidence of co-expression was 7.5% (3/40) for MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1, 7.5% (3/40) for MAGE-A4 and SAGE, 7.5% (3/40) for NY-ESO-1 and SAGE, and 2.5% (1/40) for the CTAs. The number of HNC samples positive for MAGE-A4 was significantly higher compared to that of RCC samples. The remaining two antigens, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE, were expressed at high levels in HNC compared to RCC samples. Limited frequency of CTA (NY-ESO-1, MAGE-A4 and SAGE) expression was demonstrated in RCC compared to HNC samples.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8681;
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soga
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Nephro-Urologic Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.affiliation: Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamakado
authors.affiliation: Departments of Immuno-Gene Therapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Departments of Immuno-Gene Therapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: Departments of Immuno-Gene Therapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakase
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yuta
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8681;
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Immuno-Gene Therapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan ; Cancer Vaccine, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiku
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Nephro-Urologic Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugimura
keywords: cancer-testis antigen; kidney cancer