Cancer stem cell-associated antigens (CSCAs)

Cancer stem cell-associated antigens (CSCAs) are a heterogeneous group of proteins and molecules that are selectively expressed or overexpressed in cancer stem cells (CSCs), a resilient subpopulation of tumor cells capable of self-renewal and driving tumor recurrence (PubMed: 30613268). These antigens serve as critical targets for advanced immunotherapies, including dendritic cell vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, and monoclonal antibodies, which aim to eliminate the "root" of the cancer that often survives conventional chemotherapy and radiation (PubMed: 29333458). Common CSCAs include cell surface markers such as CD133 and CD44, as well as intracellular transcription factors like SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG that maintain the undifferentiated state of the cells (NIH: PMC4854545). In clinical applications, CSCAs are often used as "antigen sources" by utilizing CSC lysates or mRNA to pulse dendritic cells, thereby priming the immune system against the diverse antigenic profile of the CSC niche. However, the therapeutic targeting of CSCAs is significantly challenged by the potential for "on-target, off-tumor" toxicity, as many of these markers are also present on essential normal adult stem cells, and by the inherent plasticity of cancer cells which can lead to antigen loss and immune evasion (PubMed: 28243110).

Other names

CSC antigensCancer stem cell markersTumor-initiating cell antigensCSC-specific antigens

Induction of a targeted adaptive immune response, primarily mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and specific antibodies, to selectively identify and eliminate the cancer stem cell subpopulation within a tumor mass.