Core 1 and extended core 1 O-glycan epitopes on Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 and 6 (Core 1 O-glycan-CEACAM5/6)

Core 1 and extended core 1 O-glycan epitopes on CEACAM5 and CEACAM6 represent a specific glyco-form of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family, which are highly expressed in various solid tumors, particularly colorectal and pancreatic cancers. CEACAM5 and CEACAM6 are cell surface glycoproteins that function as calcium-independent cell adhesion molecules and play significant roles in promoting tumor progression, metastasis, and the inhibition of apoptosis. The specific glycosylation patterns, such as the Core 1 O-glycan (also known as the Thomsen-Friedenreich or T-antigen), are often truncated or altered in malignant cells compared to healthy tissues, providing a tumor-specific neoepitope. Therapeutic strategies targeting these glyco-epitopes, such as the CAR-T cell therapy P-CEA-101, aim to exploit this differential glycosylation to improve selectivity and reduce on-target off-tumor toxicity against normal tissues that express standard CEA. By binding to these specific carbohydrate-protein complexes, drugs can trigger direct immune-mediated destruction of cancer cells while potentially sparing healthy cells that lack the aberrant glycan structure.

Other names

Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5)Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6)CEACD66eCD66cTumor-associated carbohydrate antigen on CEACAM5/6Glyco-CEACAM5/6

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell mediated cytotoxicity; Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)