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. 2000 Jun 15;83(2):204–208. doi: 10.1054/bjoc.2000.1251

NY-ESO-1 tumour associated antigen is a cytoplasmic protein detectable by specific monoclonal antibodies in cell lines and clinical specimens

E Schultz-Thater 1,1, C Noppen 1,1, F Gudat 2, U Dürmüller 2, P Zajac 1, T Kocher 1, M Heberer 1, G C Spagnoli 1
PMCID: PMC2363487  PMID: 10901371

Abstract

NY-ESO-1 gene encodes a novel member of the cancer/testis (CT) family of human tumour-associated antigens (TAA). Specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have identified the corresponding gene product in lysates of tumour cell lines as a 22 kDa protein but no data are available concerning its intracellular location or distribution within neoplastic tissues. We have generated NY-ESO-1 specific mAbs recognizing the target molecule in cytospin preparations and in sections from clinical tumour specimens. These reagents identify NY-ESO-1 TAA in melanoma cell lines expressing the specific gene as a cytoplasmic protein, sharing the intracellular location of most MAGE TAA. In a series of 12 melanoma specimens, specific staining, limited to neoplastic cells, was detectable in the five cases where NY-ESO-1 gene expression was observed. In two of them over 90% of tumour cells showed evidence of positive staining. Lower percentages of positive neoplastic cells ranging between single cells and 50% were observed in the remaining tumours. These data suggest that active specific immunotherapies targeting NY-ESO-1, alone or in combination with other TAA could be of high clinical relevance in sizeable subgroups of melanoma patients. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign

Keywords: tumour associated antigens, cancer testis antigens, immunodetection, immunotherapy

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Selected References

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