Expression of KK-LC-1, a cancer/testis antigen, at non-tumour sites of the stomach carrying a tumour

• Published in: Scientific reports 2018-04, Vol.8 (1), p.6131-7, Article 6131
• Main Authors: Fukuyama, Takashi, Futawatari, Nobue, Yamamura, Rui, Yamazaki, Taiga, Ichiki, Yoshinobu, Ema, Akira, Ushiku, Hideki, Nishi, Yatsushi, Takahashi, Yoshihito, Otsuka, Toshikazu, Yamazaki, Hitoshi, Koizumi, Wasaburo, Yasumoto, Kosei, Kobayashi, Noritada
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 38; 38/90; 631/67/1504/1829; 631/67/1857; Antigens; Antigens, Neoplasm - analysis; Antigens, Neoplasm - genetics; Cancer; Cancer immunotherapy; Gastric cancer; Gastric Mucosa - metabolism; Gastric Mucosa - pathology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glands; Helicobacter Infections - complications; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immunotherapy; Intestine; Lung cancer; Metaplasia; multidisciplinary; Prognosis; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Stomach - pathology; Stomach Neoplasms - complications; Stomach Neoplasms - diagnosis; Stomach Neoplasms - genetics; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24514-9

Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen-1 (KK-LC-1) is a cancer/testis antigen (CTA) and predominant target for cancer immunotherapy. Our previous study indicated that KK-LC-1 was expressed in 82% of gastric cancers, and also in 79% of early stage of gastric cancers, with a correlation to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. In addition, we found that KK-LC-1 was occasionally expressed at non-tumour sites of stomachs carrying tumours. Here, we investigated the characteristics of KK-LC-1 expression at non-tumour sites and the clinical utility of these phenomena. The gene expression of KK-LC-1 was detected at the non-tumour sites including pyloric glands. The most detectable corpus/gland subset had a KK-LC-1 expression rate of 77% in the pyloric gland of the lower corpus where H. pylori preferentially exists. KK-LC-1 expression rates were 67% or 32% with or without intestinal metaplasia, which also induced by H. pylori , respectively. Consequently, KK-LC-1 would be detected at the pre-cancerous condition of the stomach, and may be a useful marker to predict gastric cancer.