Cancer/Testis genes in relation to sperm biology and function

Document Type : Mini Review

Authors

1 Clinical Anatomy/ Immunology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland

2 Medical Genetics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Cancer testis antigens (CTAs), a large family of tumor-associated and immunogenic antigens expressed in human tumors of various histological origins, are highly restricted to the testis and trophoblast. CTAs have been identified as potent targets for tumor-specific immunotherapeutic advances and have immensely lead to the development of different clinical trials of CTA-based vaccine therapy because of their resilient in vivo immunogenicity and tumor-restricted expression pattern. Bladder cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, and melanoma are grouped as high CT gene expressors. Prostate and breast cancer as moderate, and colon and renal cancers are considered as low CT gene expressors. Large percentages of these identified CT genes are expressed during spermatogenesis but their function is still vaguely unknown. Researchers have taken a keen interest in CT genes as pertaining to their role in tumor growth and spermatogenesis. Testis has many similarities with cancerous tissues like cell division, immigration, and immortalization. The aim is to give a concise in-depth review on the role of some specific CT genes in spermatogenesis. 

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
Volume 20, Issue 9
September 2017
Pages 967-974

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