Expression and clinical relevance of NY-ESO-1, MAGE-1 and MAGE-3 in neuroblastoma

Human genes NY-ESO-1, MAGE-1 and MAGE-3 code for antigens which are express ed in malignancies of various histological types but not in normal tissues except testis. These antigens might therefore represent potential targets f or specific immunotherapy. We studied the expression of genes NY-ESO-1, MAG E-1 and MAGE-3 in 98 neuroblastoma tumors by reverse transcription-polymera se chain reaction (RT-PCR). MAGE-1 was expressed in 66% NY-ESO-1 in 36% and MAGE-3 in 33% of the tumors. NY-ESO-1 gene expression was associated with age older than one year (p=0.017), more differentiated tumor histology (p=0 .044), elevated urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA, p=0.018) and normal ser um ferritin levels (p=0023). MAGE-1 expression correlated significantly wit h normal serum ferritin level's (p=0.009) and absence of MycN amplification (p=0.007) while MAGE-3 expression was associated with absence of metastasi s (p=0.027). We conclude that approximately 70% of the neuroblastoma tumors express at least one of the genes coding for NY-ESO-1, MAGE-1 or -3, respe ctively.