mRNA expression of MAGE-A3 gene in leukemia cells

• Published in: Leukemia research 2007-01, Vol.31 (1), p.33-37
• Main Authors: Martínez, A, Olarte, I, Mergold, M.A, Gutiérrez, M, Rozen, E, Collazo, J, Amancio-Chassin, O, Ordóñez, R.M, Montesinos, J.J, Mayani, H, McCurdy, D.K, Ostrosky-Wegman, P, Garrido-Guerrero, E, Miranda, E.I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; ALL; AML; Antigens, Neoplasm - blood; Antigens, Neoplasm - genetics; Base Sequence; CML; DNA Primers; Female; Gene Amplification; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Leukemia; Leukemia - blood; Leukemia - genetics; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - genetics; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - genetics; MAGE-A; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - blood; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0145-2126; 1873-5835
• DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2006.05.009

Abstract Leukemia-associated antigens such as proteins encoded by MAGE genes might provide tools for immunotherapy of leukemia. Positive and negative results of MAGE-A gene expression in hematological malignancies have been reported. This led us to study MAGE-A gene expression in human leukemias using RT-PCR. Among 115 leukemias from various subtypes, 14/34 (41.17%) AML were positive for one of the three genes analyzed ( MAGE-A1 1/32; MAGE-A3 10/32; MAGE-B2 3/12). Expression was also detected in 23/76 (30.26%) B-cell ALL patients ( MAGE-A1 2/53; MAGE-A3 20/53; MAGE-B2 1/32). One of these patients expressed both MAGE-A1 (weak signal) and -A3 (strong signal) genes. Other patient with CML were positive for MAGE-B2 (1/5, 20%). MAGE-A3 expression data were corroborated by real time RT-PCR through determination of MAGE-A3 transcript levels. We concluded that the MAGE-A3 gene is expressed at the mRNA level in a proportion of human leukemias.