MAGE-A4 is expressed across cancer types such as SyS, MRCLS, melanoma, HNSCC, NSCLC, EGJ, ovarian, esophageal, and gastric cancers1
Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) such as MAGE-A4 are tumor antigen proteins that are promising targets for cancer immunotherapies due to this aberrant expression in many tumor types, with no or low expression in normal adult somatic tissues2,3
- CTAs form a family of antigens encoded by 276 genes, comprising more than 70 gene families4
- CTAs can be reexpressed in a variety of cancers4
- Many members of the CTA family have been shown to elicit spontaneous cellular and humoral immune responses in cancer patients, suggesting immunogenicity of the proteins4
- The biological functions of CTAs are still being characterized; however, overexpression in various cancers is associated with high tumor grade and poor prognosis2
Incidence of MAGE-A4 expression by tumor type5-12
*By immunohistochemical analysis of tumor tissues from confirmed SyS cases.6
Review information about MAGE-A4 testing and the role of biomarkers for TCR T-cell therapies.
Learn moreEGJ=esophagogastric junction; HNSCC=head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; MAGE-A4=melanoma-associated antigen A4; MRCLS=myxoid/round cell liposarcoma; NSCLC=non-small cell lung cancer; SyS=synovial sarcoma; TCR=T-cell receptor.
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References
- Wang T, Navenot JM, Rafail S, et al. Identifying MAGE-A4–positive tumors for SPEAR T-cell therapies in HLA-A*02–eligible patients. Presented at: American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting; April 8-13, 2022; New Orleans, LA. Poster LB001.
- 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. 2020;24(5):537-555.
- 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;14:1-14.
- Thomas R, Al-Khadairi G, Roelands J, et al. NY-ESO-1 based immunotherapy of cancer: current perspectives. Front Immunol. 2018;9:947.
- Mitchell G, Pollack SM, Wagner MJ. Targeting cancer testis antigens in synovial sarcoma. J Immunother Cancer. 2021;9(6):e002072.
- Iura K, Maekawa A, Kohashi K, et al. Cancer-testis antigen expression in synovial sarcoma: NYO-ESO-1, PRAME, MAGEA4, and MAGEA1. Hum Pathol. 2017;61:130-139.
- Sharma P, Shen Y, Wen S, et al. Cancer-testis antigens: expression and correlation with survival in human urothelial carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12(18):5442-5447.
- Ishihara M, Kageyama S, Miyahara Y, et al. MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE mRNA expression rates and co-expression relationships in solid tumours. BMC Cancer. 2020;20(1):606.
- Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang L. Expression of cancer–testis antigens in esophageal cancer and their progress in immunotherapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2019;145(2):281-291.
- Weon JL, Potts PR. The MAGE protein family and cancer. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2015;37:1-8.
- Barrow C, Browning J, MacGregor D, et al. Tumor antigen expression in melanoma varies according to the antigen and stage. Clin Cancer Res. 2006;12(3 pt 1):764-771.
- Laban S, Atanackobvic D, Luetkens T, et al. Simultaneous cytoplasmic and nuclear protein expression of melanoma antigen-A family and NY-ESO-1 cancer-testis antigens represents an independent marker for poor survival in head and neck cancer. Int J Cancer. 2014;135(5):1142-1152.