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Ai H, Yang H, Li L, Ma J, Liu K, Li Z. Cancer/testis antigens: promising immunotherapy targets for digestive tract cancers. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1190883. [PMID: 37398650 PMCID: PMC10311965 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1190883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Digestive tract cancers, including esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers, are the major cause of death among cancer patients worldwide due to the heterogeneity of cancer cells, which limits the effectiveness of traditional treatment methods. Immunotherapy represents a promising treatment strategy for improving the prognosis of patients with digestive tract cancers. However, the clinical application of this approach is limited by the absence of optimal targets. Cancer/testis antigens are characterized by low or absent expression in normal tissues, but high expression in tumor tissues, making them an attractive target for antitumor immunotherapy. Recent preclinical trials have shown promising results for cancer/testis antigen-targeted immunotherapy in digestive cancer. However, practical problems and difficulties in clinical application remain. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of cancer/testis antigens in digestive tract cancers, covering their expression, function, and potential as an immunotherapy target. Additionally, the current state of cancer/testis antigens in digestive tract cancer immunotherapy is discussed, and we predict that these antigens hold great promise as an avenue for breakthroughs in the treatment of digestive tract cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihan Ai
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, China-United States (US) Hormel (Henan) Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Yuan J, Li J, Gao C, Jiang C, Xiang Z, Wu J. Immunotherapies catering to the unmet medical need of cold colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1022190. [PMID: 36275766 PMCID: PMC9579278 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1022190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a common malignant tumor of gastrointestinal tract, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has gradually increased in recent years. In western developed countries, it has even become the second largest malignant tumor next to lung cancer. Immunotherapy is a hot topic in the field of cancer therapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), adoptive cell therapy (ACT), cancer vaccines and cytokines, aiming to improve the ability of the immune system to recognize, target and eliminate cancer cells. However, cold CRC, which accounts for a high proportion of CRC, is not so reactive to it. The development of immunotherapy to prevent cancer cells from forming “immune escape” pathways to the immune system in cold CRC, has been under increasing study attention. There is proof that an organic combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and several immunotherapies can considerably boost the immune system’s capacity to eradicate tumor cells. In this review, we summarized the role of immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. In addition, we propose a breakthrough and strategy to improve the role of immunotherapy in cold CRC based on its characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yuan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Yancheng Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, China
| | - Jiarui Li
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ce Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chun Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ze Xiang
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jian Wu, ; Ze Xiang,
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jian Wu, ; Ze Xiang,
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He H, Mi J, Su Y, Wang B, Wang W, Li Y, Liu J. Analysis of the Clinical Value of MAGE-A9 Expressions in Cervical Cancer Tissues and PBMC. Emerg Med Int 2022; 2022:1417752. [PMID: 35794903 PMCID: PMC9252819 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1417752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study is to explore the expressions and clinical significance of melanoma-associated antigen-A9 (MAGE-A9) in cervical cancer tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Methods 108 patients who were scheduled to undergo cervical conization or extensive hysterectomy between March 2019 and January 2021 due to cervical lesions were selected by convenient sampling. According to postoperative pathological results, the patients were divided into a cervical cancer group (n = 64) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) group (n = 44). The expression levels of MAGE-A9 mRNA in cervical lesion tissues and PBMC were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the expression of MAGE-A9 protein in lesion tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between MAGE-A9 mRNA expressions in cancer tissues and PBMC and serum tumor markers in patients with cervical cancer and the relationship between MAGE-A9 protein expression in cancer tissues and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed, and a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to explore the diagnostic value of MAGE-A9 mRNA expressions in cancer tissues and PBMC on cervical cancer. Results The expression levels of MAGE-A9 mRNA in cervical lesion tissues and PBMC in the cervical cancer group were significantly higher than those in the CIN group (P < 0.05), and the levels of serum SCC-Ag, CA-125, and CEA were significantly higher than those in the CIN group (P < 0.05). The positive rate of the MAGE-A9 protein expression in cervical lesion tissues in the cervical cancer group was significantly higher than that in the CIN group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of MAGE-A9 mRNA in cancer tissues and PBMC of patients with cervical cancer were positively correlated with serum SCC-Ag, CA-125, and CEA (P < 0.05). The positive rate of the MAGE-A9 protein expression in cervical cancer tissues was related to FIGO stage, tumor diameter, degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and high-risk HPV infection (P < 0.05) and was not correlated with age and pathological type (P > 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves of MAGE-A9 mRNA in lesion tissue and MAGE-A9 mRNA in PBMC were 0.925 and 0.900 in the diagnosis of cervical cancer (P < 0.05). Conclusion The expressions of MAGE-A9 in cancer tissues and PBMC of patients with cervical cancer are upregulated, which is related to the levels of serum tumor markers and the progression of disease. MAGE-A9 is expected to become an important marker for the diagnosis of early cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haipeng He
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Jiarui Mi
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Su
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Weiming Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Yachai Li
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
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Tian Y, Liang P, Zhang L, Zhang X, Wang X, Jin Y, Qi X, Liu Y. High expression of MAGE-C1 gene in colorectal cancer is associated with its poor prognosis. J Gastrointest Oncol 2021; 12:2872-2881. [PMID: 35070414 PMCID: PMC8748057 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-21-739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between melanoma antigen gene C1 (MAGE-C1) expression and the prognosis for colorectal cancer (CRC), and to establish a mathematical model to comprehensively evaluate the prognosis of patients with CRC. METHODS MAGE-C1 was selected by bioinformatics for its greater expression differences in CRC patients. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression level of MAGE-C1 in tissue samples of 156 patients with CRC. Kaplan-Meier analysis was employed to assess the relationship between MAGE-C1 and the prognosis of patients with CRC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models analyzed the factors affecting the prognosis of CRC patients. Also, the clinicopathological characteristics of patients and genes with clinical concern were integrated to establish a model to comprehensively predict the prognosis of patients with CRC. RESULTS MAGE-C1 was found to be highly expressed in 28.8% of CRC patients. MAGE-C1 expression was associated with tumor size, number, and metastasis. Survival analysis showed that CRC patients with high expression of MAGE-C1 had a poor prognosis. Regression analysis demonstrated that MAGE-C1 protein status, T stage, differentiation, Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) status, and v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) status were the independent factors influencing the overall survival of patients with CRC. Meanwhile, MAGE-C1 combined with clinicopathological characteristics and hotspot gene mutations could be used to evaluate the prognosis of CRC. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that MAGE-C1 is differentially expressed in patients with CRC and affects the prognosis of patients. The combination of MAGE-C1, clinicopathological characteristics, and genes with clinical concern can be used to assess the prognosis of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tian
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Ping Liang
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiufen Zhang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yufen Jin
- Wuxi Medical College, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiaowei Qi
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yankui Liu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Poojary M, Jishnu PV, Kabekkodu SP. Prognostic Value of Melanoma-Associated Antigen-A (MAGE-A) Gene Expression in Various Human Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 7428 Patients and 44 Studies. Mol Diagn Ther 2021; 24:537-555. [PMID: 32548799 PMCID: PMC7497308 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-020-00476-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Members of the melanoma-associated antigen-A (MAGE-A) subfamily are overexpressed in many cancers and can drive cancer progression, metastasis, and therapeutic recurrence. Objective This study is the first comprehensive meta-analysis evaluating the prognostic utility of MAGE-A members in different cancers. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The pooled hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to evaluate the prognostic significance of MAGE-A expression in various cancers. Results In total, 44 eligible studies consisting of 7428 patients from 11 countries were analysed. Univariate and multivariate analysis for overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival showed a significant association between high MAGE-A expression and various cancers (P < 0.00001). Additionally, subgroup analysis demonstrated that high MAGE-A expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis for lung, gastrointestinal, breast, and ovarian cancer in both univariate and multivariate analysis for overall survival. Conclusion Overexpression of MAGE-A subfamily members is linked to poor prognosis in multiple cancers. Therefore, it could serve as a potential prognostic marker of poor prognosis in cancers. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40291-020-00476-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Poojary
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Padacherri Vethil Jishnu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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Oh C, Kim HR, Oh S, Ko JY, Kim Y, Kang K, Yang Y, Kim J, Park JH, Roe JS, Yoo KH. Epigenetic Upregulation of MAGE-A Isoforms Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Aggressiveness. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133176. [PMID: 34202157 PMCID: PMC8268034 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that has complex causes and mechanisms of development. Currently, patient treatment options depend on the breast cancer molecular subtype, which is classified based on the presence or absence of hormone receptors and HER2. However, this classification system has limitations in terms of predicting responsiveness to anticancer drugs and patient outcomes. In this study, we present a new approach to classifying molecular breast cancer subtypes: it is based on changes in histone modifications in the promoter region of the MAGEA12 locus, which we found related closely to MAGEA12 expression and MAGEA12-associated malignancy of breast cancer cells. Abstract After decades-long efforts to diagnose and treat breast cancer, the management strategy that has proved most successful to date is molecular-subtype-specific inhibition of the hormone receptors and HER2 that are expressed by individual cancers. Melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) proteins comprise >40 highly conserved members that contain the MAGE homology domain. They are often overexpressed in multiple cancers and contribute to cancer progression and metastasis. However, it remains unclear whether the biological activity arising from MAGE gene expression is associated with breast cancer subtypes. In this study, we analyzed the RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data of 70 breast cancer cell lines and found that MAGEA12 and MAGEA3 were highly expressed in a subset of these lines. Significantly, MAGEA12 and MAGEA3 expression levels were independent of hormone receptor expression levels but were closely associated with markers of active histone modifications. This indicates that overexpression of these genes is attributable to epigenetic deregulation. RNA-seq of MAGEA12-depleted cells was then used to identify 382 candidate targets of MAGEA12 that were downregulated by MAGEA12 depletion. Furthermore, our gain-of-function experiments showed that MAGEA12 overexpression promoted aggressive behaviors of malignant breast cancer cells, including enhancing their cell migration and invasion. These changes were associated with increased epigenetic deregulation of the MAGEA12 signature genes. Thus, MAGEA12 may play an important role in breast cancer malignancy. Taken together, our findings suggest that MAGEA12 could be a promising therapeutic target in breast cancer, and its overexpression and epigenetic changes could serve as subtype classification biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaeun Oh
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (C.O.); (S.O.)
| | - Hwa-Ryeon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Sumin Oh
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (C.O.); (S.O.)
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea
| | - Je Yeong Ko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (J.Y.K.); (Y.K.); (Y.Y.); (J.K.); (J.H.P.)
| | - Yesol Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (J.Y.K.); (Y.K.); (Y.Y.); (J.K.); (J.H.P.)
| | - Keunsoo Kang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science & Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea;
| | - Young Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (J.Y.K.); (Y.K.); (Y.Y.); (J.K.); (J.H.P.)
| | - Jongmin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (J.Y.K.); (Y.K.); (Y.Y.); (J.K.); (J.H.P.)
| | - Jong Hoon Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (J.Y.K.); (Y.K.); (Y.Y.); (J.K.); (J.H.P.)
| | - Jae-Seok Roe
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Correspondence: (J.-S.R.); (K.H.Y.); Tel.: +82-2-2123-2700 (J.-S.R.); +82-2-2077-7836 (K.H.Y.)
| | - Kyung Hyun Yoo
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics, Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (C.O.); (S.O.)
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea
- Correspondence: (J.-S.R.); (K.H.Y.); Tel.: +82-2-2123-2700 (J.-S.R.); +82-2-2077-7836 (K.H.Y.)
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Fan C, Qu H, Wang X, Sobhani N, Wang L, Liu S, Xiong W, Zeng Z, Li Y. Cancer/testis antigens: from serology to mRNA cancer vaccine. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 76:218-231. [PMID: 33910064 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) are a group of tumor antigens expressed in numerous cancer tissues, as well as in the testis and placental tissues. There are over 200 CTAs supported by serology and expression data. The expression patterns of CTAs reflect the similarities between the processes of gametogenesis and tumorigenesis. It is notable that CTAs are highly expressed in three types of cancers (lung cancer, bladder cancer, and skin cancer), all of which have a metal etiology. Here, we review the expression, regulation, and function of CTAs and their translational prospects as cancer biomarkers and treatment targets. Many CTAs are highly immunogenic, tissue-specific, and frequently expressed in cancer tissues but not under physiological conditions, rendering them promising candidates for cancer detection. Some CTAs are associated with clinical outcomes, so they may serve as prognostic biomarkers. A small number of CTAs are membrane-bound, making them ideal targets for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Mounting evidence suggests that CTAs induce humoral or cellular immune responses, providing cancer immunotherapeutic opportunities for T-cell receptors (TCRs), CAR T cell, antibody-based therapy and peptide- or mRNA-based vaccines. Indeed, CTAs are the dominating non-mutated targets in mRNA cancer vaccine development. Clinical trials on CTA TCR and vaccines have shown effectiveness, safety, and tolerance, but these successes are limited to a small number of patients. In-depth studies on CTA expression and function are needed to improve CTA-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Fan
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Hongke Qu
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Navid Sobhani
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Leiming Wang
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Shuanglin Liu
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Wei Xiong
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yong Li
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States.
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Johdi NA, Sukor NF. Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy: Options and Strategies. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1624. [PMID: 33042104 PMCID: PMC7530194 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world with increasing incidence and mortality rates globally. Standard treatments for colorectal cancer have always been surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy which may be used in combination to treat patients. However, these treatments have many side effects due to their non-specificity and cytotoxicity toward any cells including normal cells that are growing and dividing. Furthermore, many patients succumb to relapse even after a series of treatments. Thus, it is crucial to have more alternative and effective treatments to treat CRC patients. Immunotherapy is one of the new alternatives in cancer treatment. The strategy is to utilize patients' own immune systems in combating the cancer cells. Cancer immunotherapy overcomes the issue of specificity which is the major problem in chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The normal cells with no cancer antigens are not affected. The outcomes of some cancer immunotherapy have been astonishing in some cases, but some which rely on the status of patients' own immune systems are not. Those patients who responded well to cancer immunotherapy have a better prognostic and better quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nor Adzimah Johdi
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
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Soh JE, Abu N, Sagap I, Mazlan L, Yahaya A, Mustangin M, Khoo TS, Saidin S, Ishak M, Ab Mutalib NS, Jamal R. Validation of immunogenic PASD1 peptides against HLA-A*24:02 colorectal cancer. Immunotherapy 2019; 11:1205-1219. [PMID: 31478431 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2019-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is the third commonest malignancy in Asia including Malaysia. The immunogenic cancer-testis antigens, which are expressed in a variety of cancers but with limited expression in normal tissues except the testis, represent an attractive approach to improve treatment options for colorectal cancer. We aimed to validate four PASD1 peptides as the immunotherapeutic targets in colorectal cancer. First, PASD1 mRNA and protein expression were determined via real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The PASD1 peptides specific to HLA-A*24:02 were investigated using IFN-y-ELISpot assay, followed by the cytolytic and granzyme-B-ELISpot assays to analyze the cytolytic effects of CD8+ T cells. Gene and protein expressions of PASD1 were detected in 20% and 17.3% of colorectal cancer samples, respectively. PASD1(4) peptide was shown to be immunogenic in colorectal cancer samples. CD8+ T cells raised against PASD1(4) peptide were able to lyze HLA-A*24:02+ PASD1+ cells. Our results reveal that PASD1(4) peptide represents a potential target for colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Ec Soh
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nadiah Abu
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ismail Sagap
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Luqman Mazlan
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Azyani Yahaya
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muaatamarulain Mustangin
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tze S Khoo
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sazuita Saidin
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muhiddin Ishak
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nurul S Ab Mutalib
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rahman Jamal
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Han L, Tang M, Xu X, Jiang B, Wei Y, Qian H, Lu X. MiR-143-3p suppresses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting Melanoma-Associated Antigen A9 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:1245-1257. [PMID: 30302801 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.27084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Previously we found that melanoma-associated antigen-A9 (MAGE-A9) was a significantly upregulated biomarker in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). A high expression of MAGE-A9 indicates an unfavorable survival outcome, and the MAGE-A9 expression level is an independent prognostic factor of LSCC. To explore the mechanism of MAGE-A9 upregulation, several predicted regulatory microRNAs were screened and validated in LSCC cells. In the current study, we found that miR-143-3p (MAGE-A9 related miRNAs) expression levels correlated negatively with the MAGE-A9 protein expression in LSCC tissues. Dual-luciferase reporter assays and Western blot analysis revealed MAGE-A9 to be a direct target of miR-143-3p. Furthermore, a series of in vitro gain- and loss-of-function assays revealed that miR-143-3p inhibited LSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Also, miR-143-3p suppressed LSCC tumorigenesis in vivo. These effects were clinically relevant, as a lower expression of miR-143-3p occurred in severer clinical stages and represented poor overall survival in patients with LSCC. Taken together, these results suggest that downregulation of miR-143-3p contributes to tumor progression through upregulation of MAGE-A9. The expression level of these two key molecules maintained LSCC progression, thus, highlighting the potential of miR-143-3p as a therapeutic target for human LSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Han
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingming Tang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinjiang Xu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yingze Wei
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongyan Qian
- Cancer Research Center, Nantong Tumor Hospi tal, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueguan Lu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
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11
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Chi Soh JE, Abu N, Jamal R. The potential immune-eliciting cancer testis antigens in colorectal cancer. Immunotherapy 2018; 10:1093-1104. [DOI: 10.2217/imt-2018-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) has been an important finding in the search of potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. CTA is one of the subfamilies of the large tumor-associated antigens groups. It is aberrantly expressed in various types of human tumors but is absent in normal tissues except for the testis and placenta. This CTAs-restricted pattern of expression in human malignancies together with its potential immunogenic properties, has stirred the interest of many researchers to use CTAs as one of the ideal targets in cancer immunotherapy. To date, multiple studies have shown that CTAs-based vaccines can elicit clinical and immunological responses in different tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). This review details our current understanding of CTAs and CRC in regard to the expression and immunological responses as well as some of the critical hurdles in CTAs-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Ern Chi Soh
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nadiah Abu
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rahman Jamal
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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12
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Szaryńska M, Olejniczak A, Kobiela J, Łaski D, Śledziński Z, Kmieć Z. Cancer stem cells as targets for DC-based immunotherapy of colorectal cancer. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12042. [PMID: 30104575 PMCID: PMC6089981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30525-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapy of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is often unsuccessful because of the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) resistant to conventional approaches. Dendritic cells (DC)-based protocols are believed to effectively supplement CRC therapy. Our study was aimed to assess how the number and properties of CSCs isolated from tumor tissue of CRC patients will affect the biological characteristics of in vitro modified DCs. Similar procedures were conducted with the using of CRC HCT116 and HT29 cell lines. We found that the detailed configuration of CSC-like markers significantly influenced the maturation and activation of DCs after stimulation with cancer cells lysates or culture supernatants. This basic stimulatory effect was enhanced by LPS that is normally present in CRC CSCs niche. The increased number of CD29+ and CD44+ CSCs presented the opposite impact on treated DCs as showed by many significant correlations. The CD133+ CSCs seemed to impair the functions of DCs. The more CD133+ CSCs in tumor sample the lower number of activated DCs evidenced after stimulation. Moreover, our results showed superiority of the spherical culture model over the adherent one since spherical HCT116 and HT29 cells presented similar influence on DCs properties as CRC patients cancer cells. We concluded that the DCs features may depend directly on the properties of CSCs affected by progression status of tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Szaryńska
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Agata Olejniczak
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jarosław Kobiela
- Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Łaski
- Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Śledziński
- Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-214, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Kmieć
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210, Gdansk, Poland
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13
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Meyer TJ, Hartmann S, Wohlleben G, Brisam M, Seher A, Kübler AC, Polat B, Müller-Richter UDA. MAGE-A9 in head and neck cancer: Prognostic value and preclinical findings in the context of irradiation. Mol Clin Oncol 2018; 8:513-519. [PMID: 29556384 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2018.1558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy alone, or as an addition to surgery is important for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In addition to their expression in germ cells, melanoma associated antigens-A (MAGE-A) are only expressed in malignant tissue. Notably, there is a known correlation between MAGE-A9 expression and poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. However, current knowledge regarding the function of MAGE-A9 expression, particularly in the context of irradiation, is limited. MAGE-A9 expression in 37 oral squamous cell carcinoma patents was immunohistochemically determined and analyzed for overall survival by the Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. Next, the expression of MAGE-A9 was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in HNSCC cell lines prior to and following irradiation with 2 Gray. The radiosensitivity of each cell line was determined using a clonogenic survival assay. There was a significantly (P=0.0468) longer overall survival in patients with a low level of MAGE-A9 expression. The median overall survival in patients with high MAGE-A9 expression was 47% compared to 73% in the group with low MAGE-A9 expression. The cell lines revealed a distinct expression pattern of MAGE-A9. Following irradiation of the cell lines, a significant enhancement of MAGE-A9 mRNA expression levels was observed. The most prominent alteration in MAGE-A9 expression was observed in the most radioresistant cell line. A high MAGE-A9 expression level correlates significantly with lower overall survival in HNSCC patients. Additionally, irradiation increased the MAGE-A9 mRNA levels in all five HNSCC cell lines, and the most resistant cell line demonstrated the greatest increase in MAGE-A9 expression following irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till J Meyer
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Hartmann
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gisela Wohlleben
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Muna Brisam
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Axel Seher
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander C Kübler
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bülent Polat
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Urs D A Müller-Richter
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Würzburg, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
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14
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Wei Y, Wang Y, Gong J, Rao L, Wu Z, Nie T, Shi D, Zhang L. High expression of MAGE-A9 contributes to stemness and malignancy of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Oncol 2017; 52:219-230. [PMID: 29138811 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2017.4198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
MAGE-A9, a well-characterized cancer testis antigen (CTA), belongs to a member of melanoma antigen gene (MAGE) family. In human malignancies, aberrant expression of MAGE genes correlated with poor clinical prognosis, increased tumor growth, metastases, and enrichment in stem cell populations of certain cancers. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been proposed to contribute to the major malignant phenotypes of liver cancer, including recurrence, metastasis and chemoresistance. However, expression and potential role of MAGE-A9 in liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) still remain unclear. In the present study, we first analyzed the expression profiling of MAGE family genes in EpCAM+ and EpCAM- human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), based on public Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Among these examined MAGE members, MAGE-A9 is the only one with significantly higher expression in EpCAM+ HCC specimens as compared with EpCAM- HCC. Quantitative PCR analysis further confirmed that MAGE-A9 expression significantly elevated in a subtype of HCC patients that had features of hepatic stem/progenitor cells with high-level expression of EpCAM and α-fetoprotein (AFP). Moreover, MAGE-A9 displayed remarkably enriched expression in EpCAM+ HCC cells that were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and cultured HCC cell spheroids with characteristics of stem/progenitor cells. Functional experiments further revealed that MAGE-A9 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, chemoresistance, and tumorigenicity in the context of EpCAM+ HCC cells, whereas MAGE-A9 knockdown significantly inhibited anchorage-dependent and spheroid colony formation and in vivo tumorigenicity. Collectively, these data demonstrate that MAGE-A9 functions as an important regulator of LCSCs, and MAGE-A9 may serve as a potential therapeutic target against HCC stem/progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youping Wei
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Yanqin Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Jing Gong
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Lihua Rao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Zhiwei Wu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Teng Nie
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Dongling Shi
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
| | - Liming Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330003, P.R. China
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15
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MAGE-A11 expression contributes to cisplatin resistance in head and neck cancer. Clin Oral Investig 2017; 22:1477-1486. [PMID: 29034444 DOI: 10.1007/s00784-017-2242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to investigate the roles of melanoma-associated antigens (MAGEs) in the cisplatin treatment of head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed the efficacy of cisplatin in a set of four head and neck cancer cell lines using a crystal violet assay. The MAGE-A expression in all cell lines was measured with RT-qPCR. The correlation between MAGE-A expression and cisplatin efficacy was investigated using Spearman's correlation analysis. Furthermore, we established a cell line with stable overexpression of MAGE-A11 and determined influence on proliferation, cisplatin efficacy and cell apoptosis. In this cell line, the effects of cisplatin were assessed using either crystal violet assays or flow cytometry (Annexin V). RESULTS For MAGE-A11, we observed the highest correlation (r = 1.000, p = 0.0417) with low cisplatin efficacy. Stable overexpression of MAGE-A11 resulted in no changes in proliferation, but in lower cisplatin cytotoxicity and lower rates of apoptosis. Also, mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) expression was induced by MAGE-A11 overexpression. CONCLUSION We provide evidence that MAGE-A11 expression contributes to cisplatin resistance in head and neck cancer. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our study underscores the negative predictive role of MAGE-A11 expression in head and neck cancer.
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16
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Lee AK, Potts PR. A Comprehensive Guide to the MAGE Family of Ubiquitin Ligases. J Mol Biol 2017; 429:1114-1142. [PMID: 28300603 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2017.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma antigen (MAGE) genes are conserved in all eukaryotes and encode for proteins sharing a common MAGE homology domain. Although only a single MAGE gene exists in lower eukaryotes, the MAGE family rapidly expanded in eutherians and consists of more than 50 highly conserved genes in humans. A subset of MAGEs initially garnered interest as cancer biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets due to their antigenic properties and unique expression pattern that is primary restricted to germ cells and aberrantly reactivated in various cancers. However, further investigation revealed that MAGEs not only drive tumorigenesis but also regulate pathways essential for diverse cellular and developmental processes. Therefore, MAGEs are implicated in a broad range of diseases including neurodevelopmental, renal, and lung disorders, and cancer. Recent biochemical and biophysical studies indicate that MAGEs assemble with E3 RING ubiquitin ligases to form MAGE-RING ligases (MRLs) and act as regulators of ubiquitination by modulating ligase activity, substrate specification, and subcellular localization. Here, we present a comprehensive guide to MAGEs highlighting the molecular mechanisms of MRLs and their physiological roles in germ cell and neural development, oncogenic functions in cancer, and potential as therapeutic targets in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Lee
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA
| | - Patrick Ryan Potts
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA.
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