Melanoma Antigen Family D4 (MAGED4)

414-amino acid isoform has a distinct 66-amino acid tail. The 2 long isoforms share 78.3% acid identity with MAGED1 over amino acids 421 to 600. Northern blot analysis detected expression of a 3-kb transcript in a human glioma cell line, primary glioblastoma, normal brain, and ovary only, with no expression in testis or placenta. RT-PCR analysis detected expression of the 2 long isoforms in glioma with the short isoform expressed in all tumor samples examined.Expression of MAGED4 was upregulated in non-small cell lung cancers, but MAGED4 was not expressed in normal lung tissue. However, there was no significant difference in MAGED4 expression among different pathologic stages. The proliferative activity of tumor cells was significantly higher in tumors with high MAGED4 levels.