This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Scarcella, D. L. Articles by Ashley, D. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Scarcella, D. L. Articles by Ashley, D. M.

Expression of MAGE and GAGE in High-Grade Brain Tumors: A Potential Target for Specific Immunotherapy and Diagnostic Markers¹

Departments of Haematology and Oncology [D. L. S., C. E., D. M. A.] and Anatomical Pathology [C. W. C.], Royal Children’s Hospital, and Departments of Anatomical Pathology [M. F. G.] and Surgery [D. M. A.], Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3052, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels Branch, and Cellular Genetics Unit, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium [F. B.]

The mRNA expression of the tumor-associated antigens MAGE and GAGE was examined in 60 high-grade brain tumors. This analysis was performed by using reverse transcription-PCR, Southern blotting, and sequencing. It was demonstrated that, of the eight GAGE genes, GAGE-2 and -7 were expressed in five of seven normal brains. Four groups of tumors—adult glioblastoma multiforme (n = 20), pediatric glioblastoma multiforme (n = 9), medulloblastomas (n = 15), and ependymomas (n = 14)—were analyzed for mRNA expression. The following frequencies were observed: MAGE-1, 0, 0, 13, and 0%, respectively; MAGE-2, 5, 11, 60, and 57%; MAGE-3 & -6, 0, 0, 13, and 0%; GAGE-1, 65, 11, 13, and 43%; and GAGE-3–6 and -8: 75, 78, 47, and 93%, respectively. Two unclassified tumors expressed GAGE-3–6 and -8 only. The absence of GAGE-1 expression in normal brain, its relatively high frequency of expression in high-grade brain tumors, and its unique 3' sequence, suggest it may represent a useful target for specific immunotherapy. The detection method of reverse transcription-PCR and Southern blotting may also be useful for rapid screening of biopsy specimens both for diagnostic purposes and to determine a patient’s eligibility for specific immunotherapy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Ludwig, A. Keller, N. Comtesse, S. Rheinheimer, C. Pallasch, U. Fischer, K. Fassbender, W. I. Steudel, H.-P. Lenhof, and E. Meese Pattern of Serum Autoantibodies Allows Accurate Distinction between a Tumor and Pathologies of the Same Organ Clin. Cancer Res., August 1, 2008; 14(15): 4767 - 4774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G. Zhang, J. Eguchi, C. A. Kruse, G. G. Gomez, H. Fakhrai, S. Schroter, W. Ma, N. Hoa, B. Minev, C. Delgado, et al. Antigenic Profiling of Glioma Cells to Generate Allogeneic Vaccines or Dendritic Cell-Based Therapeutics Clin. Cancer Res., January 15, 2007; 13(2): 566 - 575. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Cadieux, T.-T. Ching, S. R. VandenBerg, and J. F. Costello Genome-wide Hypomethylation in Human Glioblastomas Associated with Specific Copy Number Alteration, Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Allele Status, and Increased Proliferation. Cancer Res., September 1, 2006; 66(17): 8469 - 8476. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Soling, M. Sackewitz, M. Volkmar, D. Schaarschmidt, R. Jacob, H.-J. Holzhausen, and N. G. Rainov Minichromosome Maintenance Protein 3 Elicits a Cancer-Restricted Immune Response in Patients with Brain Malignancies and Is a Strong Independent Predictor of Survival in Patients with Anaplastic Astrocytoma Clin. Cancer Res., January 1, 2005; 11(1): 249 - 258. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Liu, H. Ying, G. Zeng, C. J. Wheeler, K. L. Black, and J. S. Yu HER-2, gp100, and MAGE-1 Are Expressed in Human Glioblastoma and Recognized by Cytotoxic T Cells Cancer Res., July 15, 2004; 64(14): 4980 - 4986. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Sienel, C. Varwerk, A. Linder, D. Kaiser, M. Teschner, M. Delire, G. Stamatis, and B. Passlick Melanoma associated antigen (MAGE)-A3 expression in Stages I and II non-small cell lung cancer: results of a multi-center study Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., January 1, 2004; 25(1): 131 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Sugita, M. Geraci, B. Gao, R. L. Powell, F. R. Hirsch, G. Johnson, R. Lapadat, E. Gabrielson, R. Bremnes, P. A. Bunn, et al. Combined Use of Oligonucleotide and Tissue Microarrays Identifies Cancer/Testis Antigens as Biomarkers in Lung Carcinoma Cancer Res., July 15, 2002; 62(14): 3971 - 3979. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. Sahin, M. Koslowski, O. Türeci, T. Eberle, C. Zwick, B. Romeike, J.-R. Moringlane, K. Schwechheimer, W. Feiden, and M. Pfreundschuh Expression of Cancer Testis Genes in Human Brain Tumors Clin. Cancer Res., October 1, 2000; 6(10): 3916 - 3922. [Abstract] [Full Text]