Methylation-regulated expression of cancer testis antigens in primary effusion lymphoma: Immunotherapeutic implications

✍ Scribed by Luana Calabrò; Ester Fonsatti; Maresa Altomonte; Laura Pezzani; Francesca Colizzi; Paola Nanni; Valter Gattei; Luca Sigalotti; Michele Maio

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 94 KB
• Volume: 202
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.20133

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a large B‐cell neoplasm with an unfavorable prognosis and limited therapeutic options. In this study, cancer testis antigens (CTA) were investigated as potential immunotherapeutic targets in patients with PEL. Baseline expression of a panel of 11 CTA was highly heterogeneous among five PEL cell lines. In particular, the investigated CTA were not expressed in BC‐2 and BC‐3 cells, while BC‐1, HBL‐6, and BCBL‐1 cells tested positive for 6, 8, and 9 CTA, respectively. The DNA hypomethylating agent 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytdine (5‐AZA‐CdR) invariably induced or up‐regulated the expression of all investigated CTA in all cell lines analyzed. The de novo expression of CTA was still detectable at mRNA and protein level at least 2 months after the end of 5‐AZA‐CdR treatment. These findings, and the concomitant up‐regulation of HLA‐class I antigens and ICAM‐1 by 5‐AZA‐CdR, support its clinical use to set‐up innovative chemo‐immunotherapeutic approaches in PEL. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.