Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2007 Apr;50(4):341-345.

Altered Patterns of Melanoma Antigen Gene(MAGE) Expression in Benign, Premalignant and Malignant Epithelium of the Larynx

• Kim JK
• Park GW
• Kim KY
• Jeon CH
• Sohn JH
• Park JS

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The degree of dysplasia of premalignant lesion of the larynx is related to malignant transformation. However, no single molecular marker that could be used to predict malignant transformation has been identified. Melanoma antigen genes (MAGE), which are expressed in malignant tissues but not in normal tissues, might provide such a marker. So, we investigated MAGE expressions in the various epithelial lesions of the larynx.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Nested RT-PCR with MAGE common primers were performed to detect the expression of MAGE A genes in fresh frozen tissues obtained from laryngeal lesions (34 benign, 20 premalignant, 22 malignant epitheliums) and 12 normal oropharyngeal epitheliums.
RESULTS
The expression of MAGE was positive in 12 (35.3%) of benign, 10 (50%) of premalignant, 18 (81.8%) of malignant laryngeal epithelium and 1 (8.5%) of normal epithelium. These expressions were different with statistic significance (p=0.003) between benign, premalignant and malignant laryngeal epithelium.
CONCLUSION
The MAGE A expression could be utilized as a biomarker to predict malignant transformation of laryngeal epithelium.

Keyword

Precancerous condition; Tumor markers; Larynx

MeSH Terms

Epithelium*
Genes, vif
Laryngeal Mucosa
Larynx*
Melanoma*
Precancerous Conditions
Biomarkers, Tumor