Five novel immunogenic antigens in meningioma: Cloning, expression analysis, and chromosomal mapping

Tumorigenesis of meningioma has been associated with chromosome 22, most no tably the NF2 gene, but additional genes have been implicated in meningioma development. Here, we report the identification of five novel immunogenic antigens expressed in meningioma, An expression library was generated from a meningioma that retained both copies of chromosome 22, Screening with aut ologous patient serum identified seven cDNA clones that were indicated by a ntigen-antibody complexes. The clones were sequenced, and sequence comparis on revealed that the seven clones represent five different genes, providing evidence that meningiomas express a spectrum of immunoreactive antigens, w hich were termed meningioma expressed antigens (MGEAs). One gene was identi cal with the connective tissue growth factor, one gene was in part homologo us to an Alzheimer disease-associated gene, and a third gene was in part id entical to Homo sapiens molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis proteins A and C m RNA, One gene was partially homologous to previously reported cDNA sequence s of unknown function, and the fifth gene showed no significant homologies to sequences deposited in databases. Using somatic hybrid mapping, three ge nes were localized on chromosome 6, and two genes were localized on chromos omes 3 and 17, respectively. To distinguish the MGEAs from the so-called na tural autoantigenes, we also screened the library with 12 sera from individ uals without obvious disease. The clones identified by reactivity,vith norm al sera were completely different from the clones identified by screening t he same meningioma expression library with serum from the patient bearing t he tumor. These data suggest that the newly identified MGEA genes may be us eful for diagnosis and possibly therapy of meningioma.