Expression and clinical significance of MAGE-4 gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the possibility of MAGE-4 gene encoding protein used as a target for immunotherapy in HCC patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of MAGE-4 gene in tumor tissues and tumor adjacent non-HCC liver tissues was examined by the RT-PCR method. The relationship between positive expression rate of MAGE-4 gene and other clinical and lab data including AFP, AFU, anti-HCV, HBsAg, AFP mRNA, and the diameter of the tumors in HCC patients was also determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive expression rate of MAGE-4 gene was significantly higher in the tumor than in tumor surrounding tissues (38.7% vs 0%, P<0.01), while the positive expression rate of MAGE-4 gene had no relationship with the clinical and lab data (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The high frequency of MAGE-4 gene expression in HCC suggests the possibility of MAGE-4 gene encoding protein as a target for immunotherapy in HCC patients, but the expression has no relationship with the tumor metastasis and the recurrence of HCC.</p>