Expression of the MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -10 Genes in Thyroid Cancers.
- Author:
Young Sik CHOI
1
;
Hark RIM
;
Yo Han PARK
;
Kang Dae LEE
;
Jae Hwa LEE
;
Hee Kyoung CHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Pusan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
MAGE;
Thyroid tumor
- MeSH:
Blotting, Southern;
Carcinoma, Medullary;
Carcinoma, Papillary;
Diagnosis;
Early Diagnosis;
Goiter;
Humans;
Hyperplasia;
Immunotherapy;
Lymph Nodes;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
RNA, Messenger;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Sequence Analysis, DNA;
T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic;
Testis;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Neoplasms;
Thyroidectomy
- From:Journal of Korean Society of Endocrinology
2001;16(4-5):467-480
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: MAGE(melanoma antigen gene) has been named as cancer/testis specific antigens since its expression is only detected in the testis or cancer cells. Because of its relatively specific expression in cancer cells, it has been considered as a marker for the early diagnosis of several cancers, or as an appropriate target for a specific immunotherapy mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Therefore, there have been many reports concerning the expression of MAGE genes in various types of malignant tumors, although only a few reports in human thyroid neoplasms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -10 genes expressed in different histological types of thyroid tumors and to elucidate the clinical usefulness of MAGE genes on the diagnosis of thyroid tumors. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients who had undergone thyroidectomy at Kosin Medical Center between January and August, 1999 were included in the study. Of the 38 patients enrolled, 26 exhibited papillary carcinoma, 3 papillary carcinoma with lymph node metastasis, 1 follicular carcinoma, 1 medullary carcinoma, 5 nodular hyperplasia, 1 adenomatous goiter, and 1 follicular carcinoma. In the twelve normal control thyroid tissues, total cellular mRNA was extracted from 31 cancer tissues and 7 benign tissues, RT-PCR was run in 35 cycles, with specific primers of the subtypes of MAGE genes. With probes confirmed by DNA sequencing, the isolates were reevaluated by Southern blot hybridization. RESULTS: In the 26 papillary carcinomas, MAGE-1,-2,-3,-4,-5 and -10 genes were expressed in 88.5%, 92.3%, 3.8%, 26.9%, 26.9%, and 0% by RT-PCR respectively. In the three papillary carcinomas with regional lymph node metastasis, MAGE-1, -2 and -5 genes expressed in two of the three, and MAGE-4 in one of the three cases. In the one medullary carcinoma, the MAGE-1,-2,-4, and MAGE-5 genes were expressed, and in the one case of follicular carcinoma, only the MAGE-2 gene was expressed. In contrast, none of the 7 benign tumors and 12 normal control tissues expressed any of these MAGE genes. The sensitivity of MAGE-1,-2,-3,-4,-5 and -10 genes in thyroid tumors was 83.8%, 90.3%, 3%, 29.0%, 32.3%, and 0%, respectively and the specificity was 100%. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that MAGE genes were expressed in the malignant thyroid tumors but not in the benign tumors and normal tissues. Among the MAGE gene families, MAGE-1 and -2 genes were more sensitive than MAGE-3, 4,-5 and -10 genes. However, in order to demonstrate if the MAGE genes could be used for the diagnosis of follicular carcinoma and distant metastasis in thyroid tumors, further study is required.
