Expression Of MAGE Genes In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

In order to explore the possibility of using MAGE gene family members as targets for specific immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and to discuss the clinical significance of MAGE gene expression, we determined the expression statuses of three MAGE members, MAGE-l, -2, -3, at mRNA and protein levels in 3 human lung cancer cell lines and 56 NSCLC samples together with normal lung samples with RT-PCR., Southern blot; flow cytometly, Western blot and immunohistochemistty. The results show that the expression rates of MAGE-1, -2, -3 gene in NSCLC samples are 48.2%, 32.1%, 53.6% respectively, whereas none of MAGE gene members is expressed in normal lung samples. The expression rate of MAGE-1 is higher in patients without lymph-node metastasis than in patients with lymph-node metastasis and the expression rate of MAGE-3 is higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma. MAGE protein distributes focally or extensively in NSCLC tissues and locates in cytoplasm. This study suggests that MAGE gene members are expressed at a high frequency in NSCLC samples, which indicates that these gene members, especially MAGE-1 and -3 may be ideal targets for immunotherapy for NSCLC patients. The tumor specific nature of MAGE genes expression in NSCLC shows that they may be a new type of tumor marker that can play roles in early diagnosis, micro-metastasis detection and relapse monitoring of NSCLC. MAGE-1 gene will be the target more suitable for NSCLC patients without lymph-node metastasis and MAGE-3 gene will be the target more suitable for squamous cell carcinoma patients. MAGE proteins distribute at two types in NSCLC tissues and are cytoplastic antigens. This study lays the groundwork for further research of specific immunotherapy for NSCLC patients using MAGE genes as targets.