The transcript is about 2.2 kb. Gene HAGE is weakly transcribed in normal tissues: the level of expression was estimated to represent only 0.2% of the level found in the LB23-SAR reference cell line. The only exception is testis, which shows a level of expression comparable to that of LB23-SAR. Gene HAGE was found to be expressed in 90 out of 383 tumor samples of different histological types, well above the level in normal tissues; about 5% of the positive samples showed a level of expression above 10% of the level of LB23-SAR, and 7% showed a level of expression between 1-10%. Expression of HAGE was induced in fibroblasts after treatment with the demethylating agent, 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine.

The largest open reading frame comprises 1,944 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 648 amino acids (72,871 Da). The pKi of the protein is 9.29.

Comparison with databases revealed that HAGE shows 55% similarity with the human p68 protein, an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that is a member of the DEAD-box proteins. Four motifs that are present in members of the DEAD box family are conserved in the HAGE protein. However, ATPase and helicase activities of HAGE were not demonstrated.

No mutation was observed in the HAGE cDNA isolated from LB23-SAR.