Figueiredo David L A, Mamede Rui C M, Proto-Siqueira Rodrigo, Neder Luciano, Silva Wilson A, Zago Marco A
Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Head Neck. 2006 Jul;28(7):614-9. doi: 10.1002/hed.20380.
There is considerable interest in the expression of cancer testis (CT) antigens in human cancers, because they may serve as the basis for diagnostic tests or an immunologic approach to therapy, or as prognostic markers.
On this basis, we evaluated by semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the expression of genes that code for tumor antigens (melanoma antigen-1 [MAGE-1], MAGE-4, MAGE-10, MAGE-12, B melanoma antigen, CTL-recognized antigen melanoma antigen (CT antigen 2) [LAGE], New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma antigen (CT antigen 1) [NYESO-1], and preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma [PRAME]) in surgical samples of the tumors, margins, and lymph nodes (when present) from patients with a diagnosis of head and neck carcinoma. The study was conducted on 33 patients (31 men and two women), aged 31 to 94 years (mean, 56 years), with squamous cell carcinomas located in the mouth (15 cases), larynx (14 cases), and pharynx (four cases).
The findings were compared with the clinical course and laboratory data. Expression of at least one antigen was observed in 66.6% of cases, with different rates of expression according to tumor staging (100% of T4, 57% of T3, 50% of T1 and T2) and smoking habit. There was a significantly higher expression of multiple genes (two or more) in tumors in advanced stages.
We conclude that the tumor-specific antigen genes are expressed in variable frequencies and intensities in the primary lesions of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and in their metastases, with expression of the PRAME gene being always present in the metastastatic lymph nodes. In primary lesions, gene expression correlated with smoking habit and with advanced tumors with a higher malignant potential, with the frequent expression of two or more of these genes.
癌睾丸（CT）抗原在人类癌症中的表达备受关注，因为它们可能作为诊断测试、免疫治疗方法的基础，或作为预后标志物。
在此基础上，我们通过半定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）评估了编码肿瘤抗原（黑色素瘤抗原-1 [MAGE-1]、MAGE-4、MAGE-10、MAGE-12、B黑色素瘤抗原、CTL识别的黑色素瘤抗原（CT抗原2）[LAGE]、纽约食管鳞状细胞癌抗原（CT抗原1）[NYESO-1]以及黑色素瘤优先表达抗原[PRAME]）的基因在诊断为头颈癌患者的肿瘤手术样本、切缘及淋巴结（若存在）中的表达情况。该研究纳入了33例患者（31例男性和2例女性），年龄在31至94岁之间（平均56岁），鳞状细胞癌分别位于口腔（15例）、喉（14例）和咽（4例）。
将研究结果与临床病程及实验室数据进行了比较。66.6%的病例观察到至少一种抗原的表达，根据肿瘤分期（T4期为100%，T3期为57%，T1和T2期为50%）及吸烟习惯，表达率有所不同。晚期肿瘤中多个基因（两个或更多）的表达显著更高。
我们得出结论，肿瘤特异性抗原基因在头颈鳞状细胞癌的原发灶及其转移灶中以不同频率和强度表达，PRAME基因的表达在转移性淋巴结中始终存在。在原发灶中，基因表达与吸烟习惯以及具有更高恶性潜能的晚期肿瘤相关，这些基因中两个或更多基因经常同时表达。
