Expression of the MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 cancer-testis antigens and T cell infiltration in non-small cell lung carcinoma and their prognostic significance

Abstract

Cancer-testis (CT) antigens were identified as a group of highly attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy because of their expression in a variety of malignant tumors but solely in the testis among the normal adult tissues. To evaluate the potential of two members of this family, MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 antigens, for cancer vaccine in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), we examined the expression of these antigens and T cell infiltration in tumor tissue, and evaluated their prognostic significance. One hundred fifty-seven patients with NSCLC were studied. Reverse transcription-PCR was performed to evaluate MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 expression. Immunohistochemistry was performed for NY-ESO-1 expression and T cell infiltration into the tumor site. Survival analysis was also performed. MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 were expressed in 40 of 141 (28.4%) and 13 of 157 (8.3%) NSCLC respectively. Both CT antigens were more frequently expressed in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) than in adenocarcinoma. An inverse correlation was found between MAGE-A4 expression and patient survival in advanced stage cancers. Combined infiltration of both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells into tumor nest predicted better survival. There was no correlation, however, between lymphocyte infiltration and antigen expression in the tumor. MAGE-A4 expression in advanced group and T cell infiltration may provide prognostic information. Lastly, these CT antigens, especially MAGE-A4, may represent potential targets for cancer immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC.

Cancer/Testis Genes in Multiple Myeloma: Expression Patterns and Prognosis Value Determined by Microarray Analysis

“…This is in agreement with recent findings in other cancers showing that CT-X gene expression is often coordinated due to hypomethylation of their promoters (50,51). In addition, CT-X gene expression in patients with epithelial cancers is often associated with a poor patient outcome (52)(53)(54). Our data are also in agreement with recent studies emphasizing that the MMC of patients that express MAGE-C1, MAGE-A3, and/or NY-ESO-1 had an increased proliferative activity and are obtained mainly from patients with stage III MM (32,40).…”

HLA‐DRB1*0410‐Restricted Recognition of XAGE‐1b37‐48 Peptide by CD4 T Cells

“…Although NY-ESO-1 mRNA expression is observed at significant frequency (17-20%) in lung cancers in the Caucasian population (3, 13), its frequency is still less than that of XAGE-1b. On the other hand, the frequency of NY-ESO-1 mRNA expression in lung cancers in the Japanese population was shown to be much less (2-8.3%) (27,28). Thus, XAGE-1b is a promising target for immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.…”

MAGE-A is frequently expressed in triple negative breast cancer and associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition

“…MAGE-A is a member of CTAs characteristic with restricted expression in germline cells and aberrant expression in a variety of cancers of disparate origins [18][19]. It is often coordinated [33] and related to aggressive cancer types [34][35] and poor clinical prognosis [36]. To this end, we put forward that MAGE-A may be an important contributor to EMT of TNBC.…”