Description

Expression Patterns of Cancer-Testis Antigens of Mage Families in Somatic and Reproductive Organs of Immunocompetent and Immunodeficient Mice

Olga Gordeeva

Institute of Developmental Biology RAS, Moscow, Russia

Cancer-testis antigens are considered as promising biomarkers and unique targets for cancer vaccines because their expression patterns are restricted in normal tissues but widely represented in various cancers. Moreover, several cancer-testis antigens can elicit spontaneous humoral and cytotoxic T-cell-mediated immune responses in cancer patients. However, the expression patterns and roles of cancer-testis antigens in normal tissues are poorly understood although identification of their cellular functions is important to improve the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy. In order to clarify these questions the gene expression profiles of cancer-testis antigens of Melanoma antigen (Mage) families were studied in the testes, ovaries, brains and livers of immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice of C57Bl/6, CBA, Balb/c and Nude strains respectively. Quantitative real time PCR analysis were conducted to study the expression patterns of 17 Mage genes (Mage-a2, -a4, -a6, -a8, -b1, -b3, b4, -b5, -b16, -b18, -d1, -d2, -e1, -e2, -h1, -l2). No significant differences were detected in the expression levels of Mage genes examined in the organs of mice with different genetic and immunological backgrounds. Substantial differences in expression levels of genes and Mage-a and Mage-b families were identified between the testes and other organs (50-100 folds), while no significant differences were found between the ovaries, brains and livers in mice of studied strains. At the same time, Mage-d1,-d2,-e1, -e2, -h1 and -l2 were expressed at the similar levels in reproductive and somatic organs studied of immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice. Thus, these findings show that the expression of genes of all Mage families in reproductive and somatic organs is independent of the genetic or immunological backgrounds in mice.

This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 14-04-00419).