Glioblastoma-associated tumor antigens (GATA)

Glioblastoma-associated tumor antigens (GATA) represent a heterogeneous group of proteins that are either uniquely expressed (tumor-specific antigens, TSAs) or significantly overexpressed (tumor-associated antigens, TAAs) in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells compared to normal brain tissue [1, 15]. These antigens serve as critical targets for various immunotherapeutic strategies, including peptide and dendritic cell vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates [5, 9]. Prominent examples include the mutation-derived EGFRvIII, as well as overexpressed proteins like IL-13Rα2, HER2, EphA2, and Survivin [8, 13]. While targeting these antigens offers a pathway to precision oncology in the central nervous system, therapeutic success is often hindered by the high degree of intratumoral heterogeneity and the phenomenon of antigen escape, where the tumor evolves to lose the targeted protein [10, 17]. Additionally, the immunosuppressive microenvironment of the brain and the presence of the blood-brain barrier pose significant challenges to the delivery and efficacy of drugs directed at these antigens [14, 18].

Other names

Glioma-associated antigensGAAGBM antigensGlioblastoma tumor-associated antigensTumor-associated antigens in glioblastoma

Induction of antigen-specific T-cell responses via active vaccination; direct targeting of cell-surface antigens via CAR-T cells or monoclonal antibodies; delivery of cytotoxic payloads via antibody-drug conjugates; and blockade of immune checkpoints to enhance anti-tumor immunity [1, 5, 14].