癌-睾丸抗原SSX基因在肝细胞癌中的表达及临床意义

Clinical significance of SSX mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

目的:检测癌-睾丸抗原SSX1-5 mRNA在肝细胞癌(HCC)组织中的表达,探讨其用于HCC免疫治疗的可能性.方法:采用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术,检测61例HCC组织及52例配对的HCC癌旁组织中SSX1-5 mRNA,结合临床相关指标进行统计学分析.随机抽取PCR阳性产物进行DNA测序.结果:SSX1、SSX2、SSX4和SSX5 mRNA在HCC中的表达率分别为42.6%(26/61)、8.2%(5/61)、39.3%(24/61)和6.6%(4/61);未检测到SSX3的表达.在癌旁组织中,未检测到SSX1-5 mRNA;HCC组织中,至少表达1个SSX基因者达50.8%(31/61);表达2个或2个以上者达32.8%(20/61),表达3个或3个以上者达9.8%(6/61),同时表达4个者达3.3%(2/61).SSX的表达与临床相关指标关系的分析结果显示:门静脉癌栓形成与SSX1的表达、患者的年龄与SSX4的表达均具有显著性差异(P<0.05);DNA测序证实PCR阳性产物为目的基因.结论:SSX1、SSX2、SSX4和SSX5在HCC组织中表达频率不尽相同,但具有较强的特异性,提示有可能成为HCC免疫治疗的靶抗原.

AIM： To investigate the mRNA expression of cancer-testis （CT） antigens SSX1-5 in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and discuss the possibility of applying these antigens as targets for specific immunotherapy for HCC. METHODS： The mRNA expression levels of CT antigens SSX1-5 were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） in 61 HCC specimens and 52 normal adjacent specimens. The correlation between the expression of CT antigens SSX1-5 and clinical parameters was then evaluated. Positive RT-PCR products were sequenced randomly. RESULTS： In 61 HCC tissues detected, the positive rates of SSX1, SSX2, SSX4 and SSX5 mRNAs were 42.6% （26/61）, 8.2% （5/61）, 39.3%（24/61） and 6.6% （4/61）, respectively. Approximately 50.8% （31/61）, 32.8% （20/61）, 9.8% （6/61） and 3.3% （2/61） of HCC specimens positively expressed at least one, two, three, and four members of SSX1, SSX2, SSX4 and SSX5, respectively. In addition, no expression of SSX1-5 mRNAs was detected in all 52 normal adjacent specimens. In HCC tissues, the expression of SSX1 mRNA was correlated with the formation of cancer embolus in the portal vein while the expression of SSX4 mRNA was correlated with patient age （P 〈 0.05）. DNA sequencing confirmed the identity of RT-PCR products. CONCLUSION： Though the positive rates of CT antigens SSX1, SSX2, SSX4 and SSX5 in HCC are different, their expression is high specific. Thus, they are possible promising targets for antigenspecific immunotherapy for HCC.