Melanoma Antigen Family B3 (MAGEB3)

MAGEB3is a MAGE-B subfamily member of the MAGE gene family. MAGE family member proteins direct the expression of tumor antigens recognized on a human melanoma by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. There are two known clusters of MAGE genes on chromosome X. The members of the MAGE-A subfamily are located in the Xq28 region, while the members of the MAGE-B subfamily are clustered in the Xp21 region.

Lurquin et al. (1997) identified the MAGEB3 gene within a cluster of 4 MAGE-related genes in Xp21.3. See MAGEB1. RT-PCR analysis found that MAGEB3 is expressed in testis; it was expressed in 2 of 6 examined testicular tumors. The deduced MAGEB3 protein has 346 amino acids.