Abstract :
[en] Genes of the MAGE family direct the expression of tumor antigens recognized on a
human melanoma by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. Twelve closely related MAGE
genes are located in the Xq28 region. These genes share 60-98% nucleotide
identity in their coding region. The presence of homologous genes in a region of
Xp21.3 has been reported previously. We obtained the complete sequence of a 42-kb
stretch of this region. It contains four MAGE-related genes, which we propose to
name MAGE-B1, B2, B3, and B4 (HGMW-approved symbols MAGEB1, MAGEB2, MAGEB3, and
MAGEB4). The coding regions of these genes share 66-81% nucleotide identity and
show 45-63% identity with those of the MAGE genes located in Xq28. Like the MAGE
genes located in Xq28, the MAGE-B genes are silent in normal tissues with the
exception of testis. Like MAGE-1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 (HGMW-approved symbols
MAGEA1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12), genes MAGE-B1 and MAGE-B2 are expressed in a
significant fraction of tumors of various histological types. The transcription
of MAGE-B1 and MAGE-B2 can be induced by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, suggesting that
the activation of these genes in tumors results from a demethylation process.
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