Naslov
Expression of cancer/testis tumor associated antigens in cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Autori
Šarčević, Božena ; Spagnoli, Giulio C. ; Terracciano, Luigi ; Schultz-Thater, Elke ; Heberer, Michael ; Gamulin, Marija ; Krajina, Zdenko ; Orešić, Tomislav ; Šeparović, Robert ; Juretić, Antonio

Izvornik
Oncology (0030-2414) 64 (2003), 4; 443-449

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
cancer/testis tumor associated antigens ; cervical cancer ; immunohistochemistry ; cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Sažetak
We investigated the expression of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) of the cancer/testis (C/T) gene family in cervical squamous cell carcinomas. First, we focused on the HeLa cervical cancer derived cell line, and we found that it expresses MAGE-A1, MAGE-A2, MAGE-A3, MAGE-A4, MAGE-A6, MAGE-A12, GAGE-3/6, LAGE-1, and PRAME genes, encoding defined C/T TAA. In contrast, no expression of MAGE-A10, BAGE, GAGE-1/2, or NY-ESO-1 genes was observed. Corresponding gene products could also be detected by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, taking advantage of monoclonal antibodies recognizing discrete TAA. Capitalizing on these data, a monoclonal antibody predominantly recognizing MAGE-A4 TAA in paraffin-embedded sections (57B) was used to investigate the C/T gene expression in clinical tumor samples. A group of 60 patients was studied, and 57B positivity was detectable to different extents in 33% of the cases (20/60). In 13 of them (21%), staining of over 50% of the tumor cells was evident, whereas healthy cells always scored negative. Remarkably, MAGE-A4 expression was significantly (p < 0.05) more frequently detectable in poorly differentiated tumors (8/13) than in well-differentiated or moderately differentiated cancers (3/15 and 9/32, respectively) and in stage FIGO II as compared with stage FIGO Ib tumors (12/23 and 5/24, respectively, p = 0.04). Interestingly, staining was mostly nuclear in well-differentiated tumors, but involved both nuclei and cytoplasm in less differentiated cancers. Positivities of comparable frequency were also detectable in a smaller series of specimens upon staining with MAGE-A1- or NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1-specific reagents. Considering the high tumor specificity of C/T TAA, our data provide the rationale for the design of immunotherapy procedures targeting these antigens in cervical cancers.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti

Napomena
Također dio međunarodnog projekta Swiss National Science Foundation ( Grant No. 31-57.473.99 to G.C.S.)

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