MAGE基因mRNA在良、恶性胸腔积液中的表达

背景与目的MAGE基因是肿瘤特异性基因。本研究的目的是探讨检测MAGE基因诊断良、恶性胸腔积液的可能性。方法采用RT-PCR方法，检测MAGE-1、-2、-3、-4基因mRNA在40例良、恶性胸腔积液中的表达。结果18例良性胸腔积液中MAGE表达均为阴性。在22例恶性胸腔积液患者中，8例瘤细胞学检查阳性的胸腔积液标本中MAGE表达均为阳性（8／8）；14例胸腔积液查瘤细胞阴性但胸膜活检为阳性者中，11例胸腔积液和胸膜活检标本中MAGE均表达为阳性，另外3例胸腔积液和胸膜活检标本中MAGE均为阴性。结论检测胸腔积液中MAGE基因mRNA的表达，可成为鉴别诊断良、恶性胸腔积液的有效方法之一。

mRNA expression of MAGE genes in benign and malignant pleural effusion

Background and objective Melanoma antigen genes (MAGE) are tumor specific genes. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of MAGE genes detection as a diagnostic method for malignant pleural effusion. Methods The expression of MAGE-1, -2, -3 and -4 mRNA was detected in 18 benign and 22 malignant pleural effusion samples by RT-PCR. Results No MAGE gene expressed in the 18 cases of benign pleural effusion. Out of the 22 cases of malignant pleural effusion, 8 cases were positive by cytological examination, who all showed positive expression of MAGA genes; in the other 14 patients who were positive by pleural biopsy but negative by cytological examination, 11 cases showed positive expression of MAGE genes in both the pleural effusion and pleura samples, while the other 3 cases showed negative MAGE expression in both the pleural effusion and pleura samples. Conclusion Detection of MAGE genes in pleural effusion may be an effective method in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pleural effusion.