Expression of MAGE 3 Gene Products in Uterine Cervical Carcinoma / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: The human MAGE 3 gene encodes tumor specific antigens that are recognized by autologue cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The MAGE 3 gene is expressed not only in melanoma but in the other malignant tumors as well. There is, however, little information on the expression of the gene in uterine cervical carcinomas. The author thus studied the expression of the MAGE 3 gene products in uterine cervical carcinoma and discuss the possibility of specific immunologic diagnosis using MAGE 3 gene products. METHODS: The expression of MAGE 3 gene product in 17 normal tissues of the cervix, 32 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (8 CIN I, 10 CIN II, 14 CIS), and 43 invasive cervical carcinomas was studied by immunohistochemistry using anti-MAGE 3 mAb 57B in paraffin sections RESULTS: No expression of MAGE 3 gene product was detected in normal cervical tissues and in cervical intraepithelial neoplasias. The expression of MAGE 3 gene product was detected in 30.2% (13/43) of invasive cervical carcinomas. The MAGE 3 gene product was stained as a cytoplasmic protein in cancer cells. No statistically significant differences were observed between MAGE 3 gene product expression status and clinicopathologic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The MAGE 3 gene products was expressed in invasive cervical carcinoma tissues.

Expression of MAGE 3 Gene Product in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: MAGE 3 gene may constitute a potential target for cancer immunotherapy since it is expressed in a variety of cancers but not in normal tissues except the testis. In this study, expression and intracellular location of MAGE 3 gene products were investigated using squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MAGE 3 protein expression was screened in 40 squamous cell carcinomas, 2 tumor lines, 20 benign diseases, and 20 normal tissues of the head and neck. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-MAGE 3 mAb 57B was conducted from fresh frozen specimens. A correlation between MAGE 3 expression and clinicopathological parameters was also evaluated. RESULTS: MAGE 3 gene product was detected in squamous cell carcinomas (18/40, 45%) and in tumor lines (2/2, 100%), but not in benign diseases and normal tissues. MAGE 3 gene product was identified as a cytoplasmic protein of cancer cells without staining in normal epithelia and stromal tissues coexisting adjacent to cancer cells. No significant correlation between MAGE 3 expression and clinicopathological parameters including tumor cell differentiation, age, gender, primary site, tumor stage, and metastasis was drawn. CONCLUSIONS: MAGE 3 antigen could represent a potential target for immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.