HUMAN ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMAS FREQUENTLY EXPRESS THE TUMOR-REJECTION ANTIGENS OF MAGE GENES

The human genes MAGE-1 and -3 encode melanoma peptide antigens that ar e recognized by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Tumors expressing MAGE genes are potential targets for cancer immunotherapy, because MAG E genes are expressed only in tumor tissue and not in any normal tissu e except testis and placenta. However, little is known about MAGE gene expression in human esophageal carcinoma. The purpose of this study w as therefore to analyze MAGE gene status in human esophageal carcinoma . We studied the expression status of these genes in 42 surgical sampl es and in 12 cell lines of human esophageal carcinoma using the revers e transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Various clinicopat hological factors were also analyzed. No MAGE gene expression was seen in any of the 42 normal esophageal tissue specimens. In contrast, tum or tissue expressed MAGE-1, -2, and -3 in 26, 18 and 24 specimens, res pectively. Thirty-three of 42 tumors expressed at least one MAGE gene. Significant clinicopathologic differences between the tumors were not observed, regardless of the presence or absence of MAGE gene expressi on. In cell lines, MAGE-1, -2, and -3 gene expression was recognized i n 5, 4 and 4 cell lines, respectively. This study demonstrates that MA GE genes are frequently expressed in clinical samples as well as in ce ll lines of esophageal carcinoma. The identification of MAGE genes, th erefore, may open up a new modality of treatment, namely specific immu notherapy, for patients with esophageal carcinoma. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss , Inc.