MAGE, BAGE, and GAGE gene expression in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia

BACKGROUND. The MAGE, BAGE and GAGE gene families code for distinct, tumor specific antigens that are recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the con text of HLA molecules. The purpose of this study was to analyze MAGE, BAGE, and GAGE gene expression in the two major histologic types of esophageal c arcinoma, squamous carcinoma (ESCc) and adenocarcinoma (CAc), and to correl ate their expression patterns with the principal prognostic parameters and long term survival. METHODS. Gene expression was analyzed in surgical samples from 24 patients with ESCc and 24 patients with Che by; reverse transcriptase-polymerase cha in reaction amplification (RTF-PC R). None of the patients had received pre operative chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and all were followed until death o r for a minimum of 4 years. RESULTS. Sixteen ESCc samples (67%) and 9 CAc samples (37.5%) expressed at least one of tile genes under study. The expression of each MAGE gene in th e two histologic types was not significantly different, with the exception of MAGE-4, which was expressed mere in ESCc samples than in CAc samples, BA GE and GAGE expression was rather low and, in every case, was associated wi th the expression of at least one MAGE gene, CONCLUSIONS, In the group as a whole, and in bath ESCc and CAc subgroups, n o significant correlation emerged between the expression of any gene and pr ognostic parameters, such as pathologic tumor, lymph node, or disease stage . Nevertheless, BAGE or GAGE expression was related significantly to a poor prognosis, whereas the expression of ht MAGE genes (in the absence of BAGE and GAGE expression) was related significantly to a good prognosis. (C) Am erican Cancer Society.