INFREQUENT EXPRESSION OF THE MAGE GENE FAMILY IN UVEAL MELANOMAS

It has previously been reported that MAGE-1, -2, -3 and -4 genes are e xpressed in human cancers including cutaneous melanoma. MAGE-1 and MAG E-3 represent targets for specific immunotherapy because they encode p eptide antigens which are recognised by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) when presented by HLA class I molecules, and pilot clinical trials wit h these peptides are currently in progress. It is likely that other me mbers of the MACE gene family may also encode antigens recognised by C TL. Uveal melanomas, like cutaneous melanomas, arise from melanocytes that are derived from the neural crest. To determine if uveal melanoma patients would be suitable for MAGE-peptide immunotherapy, the expres sion of MAGE-1, -2, -3 and -4 genes was assessed by reverse transcript ion followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification and e thidium bromide staining. Expression of MAGE genes was not detected in any of 27 primary tumours. Either MAGE-1 or MAGE-4 was expressed in o nly 2 of 26 metastatic samples, but expression of MAGE-2 or -3 was not detected. Our data suggest that, unlike cutaneous melanomas, uveal me lanomas may not be suitable candidates for MAGE-peptide immunotherapy. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.