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High frequency of the MAGE‐1 gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Yamashita N,
Ishibashi H,
Hayashida K,
Kudo J,
Takenaka K,
Itoh K,
Niho Y
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.510240623
Subject(s) - hccs , immunotherapy , hepatocellular carcinoma , cancer research , biology , gene expression , cytotoxic t cell , gene , human leukocyte antigen , messenger rna , antigen , immunology , immune system , genetics , in vitro
The MAGE‐1 gene, originally isolated from a human melanoma cell line, directs the expression of a potential tumor‐rejection antigen, MZ2‐E. This antigen is recognized by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes in association with a major histocompatibility complex class I molecule (HLA‐A1), and has provided a basis for specific immunotherapy for melanoma patients. Here we show a high frequency of expression of the MAGE‐1 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined the expression of the MAGE‐1 gene in cell lines originated from hepatoma cells and in tumor and nontumor tissues of livers with HCC by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and subsequent Southern blotting. MAGE‐1 messenger RNA (mRNA) was expressed in three of four HCC cell lines (75%) and in 16 of 20 (80%) resected HCCs though none was detected in nontumor tissues. The high frequency expression of MAGE‐1 gene in HCCs suggests the possibility as a target for tumor‐ specific immunotherapy for HCC patients.