Expression of gene MAGE-A4 in Reed-Sternberg cells

Genes of the MAGE-A family are expressed in several types of solid tumors b ut are silent in normal tissues with the exception of male germline cells, which do not carry HLA molecules,Therefore, peptides encoded by MAGE-A gene s are strictly tumor-specific antigens that can be recognized by CTL and co nstitute promising targets for immunotherapy. The expression of 6 genes of the MAGE-A family was tested with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain re action in lymphoma samples. Among 38 samples of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 1 ana plastic large cell lymphoma expressed genes MAGE-A1, -A2 -A3, -A4, and -A12 , and 1 lymphoepithelioid T-cell lymphoma expressed gene MAGE-A4. Five of 1 8 samples (28%) from patients with Hodgkin disease expressed gene MAGE-A4. In tissue sections, staining by a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the M AGE-A4 protein was observed in 11 of 53 samples (21%) from patients with Ho dgkin disease, In the positive samples, the Reed-Sternberg cells were stron gly stained whereas the surrounding cells were not. These results indicate that Hodgkin disease may be a target for specific immunotherapy involving M AGE-A4 antigens, (Blood. 2000;95:3530-3533) (C) 2000 by The American Societ y of Hematology.