LOCALIZATION OF THE MAGE1 GENE ENCODING A HUMAN-MELANOMA ANTIGEN TO CHROMOSOME XQ28

MAGE1 encodes a tumor specific antigen MZ2-E that elicited a cytotoxic T lymphocytic response (CTL) in the patient from whom it was derived. In this study, cDNA and genomic probes have been used to localize thi s gene by Southern analysis of a human-rodent somatic cell hybrid pane l. The probes detect a small multigene family, and both MAGE1 and seve ral other members of this family are located on the long arm of the hu man X chromosome. A cosmid with a 12-kb insert including the entire MA GE1 gene was biotinylated and used to further localize the gene to Xq2 8 by in situ hybridization of metaphase spreads. The function of this antigen in normal cells and tumor cells currently remains unclear.