Glioblastoma multiforme-associated antigen (GAA)

Glioblastoma multiforme-associated antigens (GAAs) are a diverse group of proteins, glycoproteins, and glycolipids that are preferentially or exclusively expressed on the surface or within the cells of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive primary brain tumor [1, 12]. These antigens, such as EGFRvIII, IL-13Rα2, HER2, EphA2, and Survivin, play pivotal roles in tumor growth, survival, and resistance to conventional therapies [1, 7]. Because of their differential expression, GAAs serve as the foundation for targeted immunotherapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and various vaccine platforms (e.g., peptide, dendritic cell, and mRNA vaccines) [5, 8]. For instance, rindopepimut targets the tumor-specific EGFRvIII mutation, while SurVaxM targets the anti-apoptotic protein Survivin [1, 7]. A significant challenge in targeting GAAs is the high degree of intratumoral heterogeneity and the phenomenon of "antigen escape," where the loss of a single targeted antigen leads to treatment resistance and tumor recurrence [5, 6]. Consequently, modern therapeutic approaches often employ multi-antigen targeting strategies to achieve more durable clinical responses [7, 10].

Other names

Glioblastoma multiforme-associated antigensGlioma-associated antigensGBM-associated antigensGlioblastoma-specific antigensTumor-associated antigens in glioblastoma

Vaccine-induced T-cell activation, CAR-T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, monoclonal antibody-mediated signaling inhibition, and dendritic cell-mediated immune stimulation.