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Additional file 2 Figure 2. CT antigen mRNA expression in normal tissue. mRNA expression of MAGE-A4 (A), NY-ESO-1 (B) and SAGE (C) in normal tissue was shown. First Choice™ Human Total RNA Survey Panel®, Human Breast Total RNA®, Human Lymph node Total RNA®, Human Testicle Total RNA® and Human Uterus Total RNA® (Ambion KK, Tokyo, Japan) were used.

Additional file 3 Table 1. Median levels of CT antigen mRNAs in each CT antigen-positive tumour type.

Additional file 1 Figure 1. Relationship among MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE mRNA expression in oesophageal cancer and other cancer types. Pearson’s chi-squared test of independence was used for evaluation. In oesophageal cancer, there was a relationship among MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE expression (A-C, left; all p

Additional file 4 Table 2. MAGE-A4 and NY-ESO-1 IHC analyses of mRNA-assessed tumour samples.

POU-domain transcription factors are known as developmental regulators which control organ development and cell phenotypes. In order to clarify the roles of POU-domain transcription factors in cell differentiation, we cloned a novel POU family gene, Epoc-1, from a murine thymus cDNA library. The amino acid (aa) sequence of the POU-specific domain of Epoc-1 is almost identical to those of Oct-1 and Oct-2. However, within the POU-homeodomain, 13 out of 60 aa differ between Epoc-1 and Oct-2. Recombinant Epoc-1 products were found to bind specifically to the octamer sequence. Epoc-1 was found to be expressed in skin, thymus, stomach and testis. In situ hybridization experiments and RNase protection assays indicated that Epoc-1 is expressed in the epidermal basal cells of the skin, which contain stem cells unipotent for keratinocyte differentiation and in thymic stromal elements. These results suggest that Epoc-1 might be one of the developmental regulators which controls epidermal development and thymic organogenesis.

For the production of an effective liposomal vaccine, tumor surface antigenic proteins (TSAP) were directly transferred from BALB RVD leukemia cells to a lecithin liposome containing an artificial boundary lipid (DDPC, 1,2-dimyristoylamido-1,2-deoxyphospbatidylcholine). When DMPC (20 mol%)-DDPC (80 mol%) liposomes were employed the highest efficiency of membrane protein transfer was achieved. From studies of specific lectin-induced aggregation of the membrane protein-transferred liposome, saccharide moieties of proteins transferred were found to contain at least sialic acid, galactose, and mannose moieties. This membrane protein-transferred liposome showed significantly higher efficiency of macrophage uptake compared with the other two liposomes, namely no membrane protein-reconstituted liposome and liposome with proteins which were first extracted by butanol from turner cell and then reconstituted to liposome. Judging from results obtained, TSAP was considered to be certainly involved in membrane proteins transferred from the tumor cell to liposome. When mice were immunized by the TSAP-transferred liposome (liposomal vaccine) and subsequently challenged by BALB RVD, high CTL induction and excellent prevention of tumor growth were observed, as expected.

Lysis of tumor cells by CD8 CTLs has been demonstrated to be an important effector mechanism of tumor defense and rejection. They destroy target cells by recognizing epitope peptides in a MHC class I restricted manner. In certain murine tumor systems, epitope peptides recognized by CD8 CTLs have been identified, and the feasibility of vaccination with those peptides either for the prevention or the treatment of tumors has been demonstrated. However, immunization with a single epitope containing one anchor motif occasionally resulted in weak and limited immunological responses. Soluble proteins with epitope peptides may be alternative candidates for vaccines. By more stimulation from various types of potential CTL and T helper epitopes with different anchor motifs, protein antigens may have more potential to elicit immunological responses in a wider range than single peptides, and therefore, the protein induced immunity may be stronger than the immunity induced by a single epitope peptide. Although the use of recombinant soluble proteins containing epitope peptide sequences is a promising approach, failure to induce specific CD8 CTL activity by

Treg cells play a crucial role in immune tolerance, but mechanisms that induce Treg cells are poorly understood. We here have described eosinophils in lamina propria (LP) that displayed high aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, a rate-limiting step during all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) synthesis, and expressed TGF-β1 mRNA and high levels of ATRA. Co-incubation assay confirmed that LP eosinophils induced the differentiation of naïve T cells into Treg cells. Differentiation promoted by LP eosinophils were inhibited by blocked either TGF-β1 or ATRA. Peripheral blood (PB) eosinophils did not produce ATRA and could not induce Treg differentiation. These data identifies LP eosinophils as effective inducers of Treg cell differentiation through a mechanism dependent on TGF-β1 and ATRA.