K. Takahashi et al., IDENTIFICATION OF MAGE-1 AND MAGE-4 PROTEINS IN SPERMATOGONIA AND PRIMARY SPERMATOCYTES OF TESTIS, Cancer research, 55(16), 1995, pp. 3478-3482
The MAGE genes encoding tumor rejection antigens recognized by CTLs ar
e expressed at the mRNA level in various cancers and in the testis but
not in the other normal tissues. The expression of MAGE-1 or MAGE-4 p
rotein in the testicular cells was studied immunohistochemically with
the antibodies to the recombinant MAGE-1 or MAGE-4 protein. Both prote
ins were identified in the nucleus and cytoplasm of spermatogonia and
in primary spermatocytes but not in spermatids or Sertoli's cells. The
refore, MAGE proteins are normal tissue antigens compartmentalized in
particular testicular cells playing an important role in the early pha
se of the spermatogenesis.