Cancer/testis antigens

Cancer/testis (CT) antigens are a group of proteins united by their importance in development and in cancer immunotherapy. In general, expression of these proteins is restricted to male germ cells in the adult animal. However, in cancer these developmental antigens are often re-expressed and can serve as a locus of immune activation. Thus, they are often classified as tumor antigens. The expression of CT in various malignancies is heterogeneous and often correlates with tumor progression.[1] CT antigens have been described in melanoma, liver cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, and pediatric tumors such as neuroblastoma. Gametogenesis offers an important role for many of these antigens in the differentiation, migration, and cell division of primordial germ cells, spermatagonia spermatocytes and spermatids.[2]

The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) maintains the "CTDatabase."[3] This database is an authoritative list of known CT antigens. It also serves as a repository into which new candidates can be entered.

Important CT antigens in cancer therapy include MAGE-A1, MAGE-A3, MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1, PRAME and SSX2.

References

  1. ↑ Scanlan, MJ; Gure, AO; Jungbluth, AA; Old, LJ; Chen, YT (2002). "Cancer/testis antigens: an expanding family of targets for cancer immunotherapy". Immunological Reviews 188 (188): 22–32. doi:10.1034/j.1600-065X.2002.18803.x. PMID 12445278. Retrieved June 2015.
  2. ↑ Simpson, AJG; Caballero, OL; Jungbluth, A; Chen, Y-T; Old, LJ (2005). "Cancer/testis antigens, gametogenesis and cancer". Nature Reviews Cancer 5 (5): 615–625. doi:10.1038/nrc1669. Retrieved June 2015.
  3. ↑
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