Expression and clinical significance of MAGE-C1 in breast cancer tissues / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

ABSTRACT

@#[Abstract] Objective: To investigate the expression of MAGE-C1 (melanoma-associated antigen-C1) in breast cancer tissues and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis of breast cancer patients. Methods: Breast cancer tissues, normal breast tissues and benign breast lesion tissues (60 samples for each) were collected from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University during January 2008 and December 2008.The mRNA and protein expressions of MAGE-C1 in three types of breast tissues were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of breast cancer patients were also analyzed. DNA methylase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) and histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) were used to treat breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, and RT-PCR was used to determine the changes in mRNA expression of MAGE-C1 after drug treatment. Results: The positive expression rate of MAGE-C1 mRNA and protein in breast cancer tissues were 43.3% (26/60) and 38.3% (23/60), respectively; and the mRNA and protein expressions of MAGE-C1 were all negative in normal breast tissues and benign breast lesion tissues. MAGE-C1 expression was positively associated with high tumor grade (χ2 =6.233, P<0.05). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients with negative MAGE-C1 expression was significantly longer than those patients with positive MAGE-C1 expression (χ 2 =4.213, P<0.05). MAGE-C1 expression (HR=3.980, P<0.05) and clinical stage (HR=3.637, P<0.05) could be used as independent prognostic factors for breast cancer patients. 5-Aza-CdR and/or TSA treatment had no significant influence on MAGE-C1 gene expression (P>0.05). Conclusion: MAGE-C1 is a tumor-specific antigen and its expression is associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients.