Cerebellar degeneration-related protein 2-like (CDR2L)

Cerebellar degeneration-related protein 2-like (CDR2L) is a protein encoded by the CDR2L gene, sharing about 50% sequence identity with CDR2, its paralog. CDR2L is an intracellular onconeural antigen that interacts with cytosolic ribosomes and is primarily localized in the cytoplasm of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, as well as within various tumor types including ovarian, breast, testicular, and prostate cancers. Its biological functions include protein binding and roles in vesicle and microtubule transport, although it is not part of a classical receptor, enzyme, or transporter family. CDR2L is the primary immunogenic target of Yo/anti-Yo antibodies associated with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD), a neurodegenerative disorder often seen as a paraneoplastic syndrome in patients with certain cancers. Yo/anti-Yo (CDR2/CDR2L) antibodies can be detected in patient sera and serve as important biomarkers for PCD diagnosis and associated malignancies. The presence of these autoantibodies is linked with Purkinje cell death in the cerebellum, contributing to severe ataxia and neurodegeneration observed in PCD. There are no known drugs that directly target CDR2L, and its role as a therapeutic target is primarily as a disease-associated autoantigen rather than a conventional druggable protein or receptor.

Other names

HUMPPAParaneoplastic 62 kDa antigenparaneoplastic antigen