Squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 2 (SART2)

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 2 (SART2), also known as dermatan-sulfate epimerase (DSE), is a multifunctional protein that acts as both a biosynthetic enzyme and a tumor-associated antigen [21, 22]. It was originally identified in squamous cell carcinoma and is highly expressed in various epithelial cancers, including esophageal, colorectal, and hepatocellular carcinomas, while showing minimal expression in normal adult tissues [20, 28]. Biologically, SART2 is responsible for the epimerization of D-glucuronic acid to L-iduronic acid in the biosynthesis of dermatan sulfate, a process that influences the tumor microenvironment and oncogenic signaling pathways such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling [21, 23]. In the field of cancer immunotherapy, SART2 is a significant target for the development of personalized peptide vaccines [24, 26]. These vaccines are designed to elicit a robust immune response by inducing SART2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and IgG antibodies that selectively target and destroy malignant cells [24, 25]. Clinical studies have demonstrated that SART2-targeted peptide vaccines are generally well-tolerated and capable of inducing specific immune responses, although they are often investigated in combination with other therapeutic modalities to enhance clinical efficacy in advanced cancer patients [24, 34].

Other names

Dermatan-sulfate epimeraseDSEDS-epi1Chondroitin-glucuronate 5-epimeraseSART-2

Induction of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and peptide-specific IgG responses that recognize and lyse SART2-expressing cancer cells.