Expressions of cancer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas

Though regular sonographic examination can early detect small hepatocellula r carcinoma, the therapeutic results remains unsatisfactory. Antigen-specif ic immunotherapy is an alternative approach for controlling tumors. The pre requisite for antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy is the identification o f appropriate tumor antigens. Recently, a new category of tumor-specific sh ared antigens, called cancer-testis antigens, has been identified. The canc er-testis antigens have been found in a variety of cancers. However, the ex pression of cancer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas is un known. The aim of this current study is to investigate the expression of ca ncer-testis antigens in human hepatocellular carcinomas. Reverse-transcript ion polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the expressi on of the SSX-1,-2,-4,-5, SCP-1, NY-ESO-1 genes in tumorous and correspondi ng non-tumorous liver tissues. In the 30 hepatocellular carcinomas studied, SSX-1,-2,-4,-5, SCP-1, and NY-ESO-1 mRNA expressions were detected in 24 ( 80%), 14 (46.7%), 22 (73.3%), 10 (33.3%), 2 (6.7%), and 11 (36.7%), respect ively. Expressions of these genes were detected in few non-tumor liver tiss ues. The cancer-testis antigens are expressed in a high percentage of hepat ocellular carcinomas. These cancer-testis antigen gene products are potenti al targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.