title: A search for novel cancer/testis antigens in lung cancer identifies VCX/Y genes, expanding the repertoire of potential immunotherapeutic targets.
abstract: Cancer/testis (CT) antigens are potential immunotherapeutic targets in cancer. However, the expression of particular antigens is limited to a subset of tumors of a given type. Thus, there is a need to identify antigens with complementary expression patterns for effective therapeutic intervention. In this study, we searched for genes that were distinctly expressed at a higher level in lung tumor tissue and the testes compared with other nontumor tissues and identified members of the VCX/Y gene family as novel CT antigens. VCX3A, a member of the VCX/Y gene family, was expressed at the protein level in approximately 20% of lung adenocarcinomas and 35% of squamous cell carcinomas, but not expressed in normal lung tissues. Among CT antigens with concordant mRNA and protein expression levels, four CT antigens, XAGE1, VCX, IL13RA2, and SYCE1, were expressed, alone or in combination, in about 80% of lung adenocarcinoma tumors. The CT antigen VCX/Y gene family broadens the spectrum of CT antigens expressed in lung adenocarcinomas for clinical applications.
authors: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. ataguchi@mdanderson.org.
authors: Ayumu
authors: A
authors: Taguchi
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Allen D
authors: AD
authors: Taylor
authors: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Müge
authors: M
authors: Celiktaş
authors: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Center for Systems Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
authors: Xiaotu
authors: X
authors: Ma
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Zhang
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Chee-Hong
authors: CH
authors: Wong
authors: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Chin
authors: Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
authors: Luc
authors: L
authors: Girard
authors: Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Behrens
authors: Department of Integrative Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Wan L
authors: WL
authors: Lam
authors: Department of Integrative Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Lam
authors: Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
authors: John D
authors: JD
authors: Minna
authors: Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Ignacio I
authors: II
authors: Wistuba
authors: Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
authors: Adi F
authors: AF
authors: Gazdar
authors: Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors: Samir M
authors: SM
authors: Hanash
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C508181:IL13RA1 protein, human; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13; C489753:SYCP1 protein, human; C404411:VCX protein, human; C404412:VCY protein, human; C413656:XAGE1A protein, human