GD2 and GD3 gangliosides (GD2/GD3)

GD2 and GD3 are disialogangliosides, a type of glycosphingolipid, primarily located on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. In healthy adults, their expression is highly restricted to the central nervous system, peripheral nerves, and melanocytes, but they are significantly overexpressed in tumors of neuroectodermal origin, such as neuroblastoma, melanoma, and various sarcomas. These molecules play vital roles in mediating tumor cell proliferation, adhesion to the extracellular matrix, and signal transduction pathways that promote metastasis and cell survival. Due to their high density on tumor surfaces and limited distribution in vital normal tissues, they serve as ideal targets for monoclonal antibodies and CAR-T cell therapies. Therapeutic agents like dinutuximab have successfully utilized these targets to improve survival outcomes in pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma by triggering immune-mediated destruction of cancer cells.

Other names

Disialoganglioside GD2Disialoganglioside GD3GD2 antigenGD3 antigenTumor-associated gangliosides

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), and direct induction of apoptosis upon antibody binding.