Investigation of melanoma-associated antigen A4 cancer/testis antigen clinical relevance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background:Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is considered as the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and the second prevalent malignancy in the north of Iran. A subfamily group of tumor-specific antigens, commonly specified as cancer/testis antigens (CTAs), are expressed restrictedly in testis, ovary, and placenta. Melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGEA4) as a CTA is overexpressed in a variety of cancers. Expressional analysis of MAGEA4 protein in ESCC may be useful to investigate its clinical relevance leading to effective improvements in ESCC diagnosis and treatment. Materials and Methods:Fifty-six ESCC patients with no preoperative therapeutic circumstance such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy were analyzed to explore the protein expression level of MAGEA4 using immunohistochemistry assay. Results:MAGEA4 overexpression was detected in 66% of ESCC samples showing strong nuclear and cytoplasmic staining compared to the normal epithelium. There were significant correlations between MAGEA4 protein expression and depth of tumor invasion (P = 0.019), and the number of involved lymph nodes (P = 0.045). Conclusion:Because of the significant correlation of MAGEA4 and indices of poor prognosis, the role of this CTA may be confirmed in ESCC aggressiveness and metastasis. Therefore, MAGEA4 may be a promising therapeutic candidate for suppressing ESCC aggressiveness.

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