Cancer testis antigens and NY-BR-1 expression in primary breast cancer: Prognostic and therapeutic implications Journal Article


Authors: Balafoutas, D.; Zur Hausen, A.; Mayer, S.; Hirschfeld, M.; Jaeger, M.; Denschlag, D.; Gitsch, G.; Jungbluth, A.; Stickeler, E.
Article Title: Cancer testis antigens and NY-BR-1 expression in primary breast cancer: Prognostic and therapeutic implications
Abstract: Background: Cancer-testis antigens (CTA) comprise a family of proteins, which are physiologically expressed in adult human tissues solely in testicular germ cells and occasionally placenta. However, CTA expression has been reported in various malignancies. CTAs have been identified by their ability to elicit autologous cellular and or serological immune responses, and are considered potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. The breast differentiation antigen NY-BR-1, expressed specifically in normal and malignant breast tissue, has also immunogenic properties. Here we evaluated the expression patterns of CTAs and NY-BR-1 in breast cancer in correlation to clinico-pathological parameters in order to determine their possible impact as prognostic factors.Methods: The reactivity pattern of various mAbs (6C1, MA454, M3H67, 57B, E978, GAGE #26 and NY-BR-1 #5) were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a tissue micro array series of 210 randomly selected primary invasive breast cancers in order to study the diversity of different CTAs (e.g. MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, GAGE) and NY-BR-1. These expression data were correlated to clinico-pathological parameters and outcome data including disease-free and overall survival.Results: Expression of at least one CTA was detectable in the cytoplasm of tumor cells in 37.2% of the cases. NY-BR-1 expression was found in 46.6% of tumors, respectively. Overall, CTA expression seemed to be linked to adverse prognosis and M3H67 immunoreactivity specifically was significantly correlated to shorter overall and disease-free survival (p=0.000 and 0.024, respectively).Conclusions: Our findings suggest that M3H67 immunoreactivity could serve as potential prognostic marker in primary breast cancer patients. The exclusive expression of CTAs in tumor tissues as well as the frequent expression of NY-BR-1 could define new targets for specific breast cancer therapies. © 2013 Balafoutas et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Keywords: immunohistochemistry; cancer survival; controlled study; human tissue; primary tumor; unclassified drug; major clinical study; overall survival; histopathology; disease free survival; antigen expression; breast cancer; survival time; immunotherapy; cancer testis antigen; melanoma antigen 1; ny eso 1 antigen; cancer cell; cellular distribution; cytoplasm; tissue microarray; gage antigen; differentiation antigen; cancer-testis antigen; ny-br-1; ny br 1 antigen; cancer prognosis
Journal Title: BMC Cancer
Volume: 13
ISSN: 1471-2407
Publisher: Biomed Central Ltd  
Date Published: 2013-06-01
Start Page: 271
End Page: 280
Language: English
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-271
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC3700769
PUBMED: 23731661
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 2 December 2013" - "CODEN: BCMAC" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Achim Jungbluth
    455 Jungbluth