Trag-3

The expression of the cancer-testis antigen Taxol resistance-associated gene-3 (TRAG-3) is associated with acquired paclitaxel (Taxol) resistance, and is expressed in a variety of cancers - e.g., breast cancer, leukemia, and melanoma. Overexpressed in taxol-resistant breast cancer line MDA 435(TR) and the doxorubicin-resistant multiple myelanoma lines 8226/Dox(40) and 8226/MDR(10)V. Weakly expressed in kidney. TRAG-3 is an attractive target for immunotherapy of cancer.First identified as a novel cancer/testis antigen, TRAG-3, (Taxol Resistance Associated Gene-3) was initially discovered in a search for new genes involved in drug resistance. Early studies of TRAG-3 revealed a minimal to absent expression in normal tissues and a marked over-expression in many carcinoma cell lines including several melanoma lines. By RT-PCR evaluation of TRAG-3 two transcripts are seen in many carcinoma cell lines with products in the the 799 bp and a second alternatively spliced transcript.