Fucosylated core 1 O-glycan epitope on Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (CD166) (CD166-G)

The fucosylated core 1 O-glycan epitope on CD166 (Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule) is a tumor-associated glyco-antigen (TAGA) characterized by a specific post-translational modification of the CD166 protein (UniProt: Q13740). CD166 is a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily that mediates cell-cell adhesion through homophilic and heterophilic interactions, such as with the T-cell antigen CD6 (PubMed: 22532582). While the CD166 protein backbone is expressed in various normal tissues, the specific fucosylated core 1 O-glycan modification is highly enriched in malignant tissues, including colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers (Avacta Group plc). This tumor-specific glycosylation pattern arises from alterations in glycosyltransferase expression within the tumor microenvironment, providing a unique signature for cancer cells. Therapeutically, this epitope is targeted to achieve high tumor specificity and minimize damage to healthy tissues that express the non-modified CD166 protein. For instance, AVA-0417 is an Affimer-drug conjugate (AffDC) designed to bind specifically to this glyco-epitope, delivering a cytotoxic agent directly to the tumor (Avacta Pipeline). This approach leverages the differential glycosylation between normal and cancerous cells to improve the therapeutic window of CD166-targeted therapies.

Other names

CD166 glyco-epitopeGlycosylated Activated leukocyte cell adhesion moleculeFucosylated CD166Tumor-specific CD166 glyco-epitopeALCAM glyco-variantCD166-G

Targeted delivery of cytotoxic payload via Affimer-drug conjugate (AffDC) binding to the tumor-specific glyco-epitope.