| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1994: ¥2,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000)
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| Research Abstract |
We studied expression of MAGE genes at the mRNA level, in 15 cases of esophageal carcinomas and 40 cases of colorectal carcinomas, using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
In esophageal carcinoma cases, a total of 10 of the 15 cases (67%) expressed MAGE gene family (MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4a/4b, or-6). In 14 cases, MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4a/4b and -3/6 genes were expressed in 4 (28.6%), 4 (28.6%), 7 (50.0%), 3 (21.4%), and 9 (64.3%), respectively. No significant correlation between expression of MAGE genes and clinicopathologic factors was found in this study. None of MAGE genes were expressed in any samples of normal esophageal mucosal tissue.
In 40 cases of colorectal carcinomas, MAGE-1, -2, -3, -4a/4b and -3/6 genes were expressed in 3 (7.5%), 6 (15.0%), 13 (32.5%), 5 (12.5%), and 16 (40.0%), respectively. The clinicopathologic analysis revealed that the MAGE-3 expression frequency for Dukes'D cases was significantly higher than that for all the other Dukes' cases together (p<0.05). Accordingly, the frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in MAGE-3-positive than MAGE-3-negative cases (p<0.05). None of MAGE genes were expressed in any samples of normal colonal mucosal tissue.
In these studies, we revealed MAGE genes expression in esophageal and colorectal carcinomas that had not been studied adequately. And our findings suggest that MAGE-specific immunotherapy against esophageal and colorectal carcinomas may be feasible.
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