Unknown. Antigen recognized on a melanoma by autologous cytolytic T-lymphocytes. At least 6 different mRNAs, BAGE1a, BAGE1b, BAGE1c, BAGE1d, BAGE1e and BAGE1f, are produced by alternative splicing. They differ in the 3' region, but give rise to the same protein sequence. Not expressed in normal tissues, except in testis. Expressed with significant proportion in melanomas, but also in tumors of various histological origins, such as bladder carcinomas, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, lung and breast carcinomas. Not expressed in renal, colorectal and prostatic carcinomas, leukemias and lymphomas. More frequently expressed in metastatic melanomas than in primary melanomas. The ancestral BAGE gene was generated by juxtacentromeric reshuffling of the KMT2C/MLL3 gene. The BAGE family was expanded by juxtacentromeric movement and/or acrocentric exchanges. BAGE family is composed of expressed genes that map to the juxtacentromeric regions of chromosomes 13 and 21 and of unexpressed gene fragments that scattered in the juxtacentromeric regions of several chromosomes, including chromosomes 9, 13, 18 and 21. Belongs to the BAGE family.