Chondrosarcoma Associated Gene 1 (CSAG1)

CSAG1 encodes a member of a family of tumor antigens. The protein is expressed in chondrosarcomas, but may also be expressed in normal tissues such as testis. Alternative splicing of this gene results in two transcript variants encoding the same protein.

CSAGE, has been cloned and belongs to a gene family that includes the taxol resistance associated gene (TRAG)-3. CSAGE, like TRAG-3, does not confer resistance to taxol when transfected in vitro. CSAGE and TRAG-3 are expressed in chondrosarcoma, melanoma, and cartilage and testis, but not in other normal tissues. TRAG-3 has been reported to be a cancer/testis antigen. CSAGE belongs to the growing list of cancer/testis antigens as well. In all of the CSAGE positive samples, the melanoma antigen gene family was also expressed.