Immature laminin receptor protein (iLRP) (iLRP)

The immature laminin receptor protein (iLRP), also known as oncofetal antigen (OFA), is a 37 kDa protein that serves as the precursor to the 67 kDa laminin receptor (UniProt P08865). It is encoded by the RPSA gene and plays a critical role in ribosome assembly and cell-extracellular matrix interactions (PubMed: 12885710). While expressed during fetal development, iLRP is largely absent in normal adult tissues but is highly overexpressed in a variety of cancers, including leukemias and solid tumors (PubMed: 16424169). This differential expression pattern identifies it as a universal tumor-associated antigen (TAA) suitable for targeted immunotherapy (PubMed: 15934656). In clinical applications, autologous dendritic cells are pulsed with OFA/iLRP to present its epitopes via MHC class I molecules to CD8+ T cells (PubMed: 12885710). This presentation triggers the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes that specifically recognize and destroy tumor cells expressing the antigen. Therapeutic strategies targeting OFA/iLRP have been investigated in clinical trials for patients with acute myeloid leukemia and other malignancies (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00101166). The use of dendritic cells as a delivery vehicle helps to overcome the immunosuppressive environment often found in advanced cancers. Monitoring for efficacy typically involves measuring the expansion of OFA/iLRP-specific T cells and tumor regression. Safety concerns primarily involve the potential for low-level expression in normal tissues to trigger autoimmune responses, although clinical data suggests a high degree of tumor specificity.

Other names

Oncofetal antigenOFA/iLRP37 kDa laminin receptor precursorRPSARibosomal protein SA67 kDa laminin receptor precursor

Induction of a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response through the presentation of OFA/iLRP-derived peptides on MHC class I molecules by dendritic cells to CD8+ T cells.