Malignant or stressed cells with altered surface markers

Malignant or stressed cells with altered surface markers refer to a broad class of cells that have undergone pathological changes, such as oncogenic transformation, viral infection, or environmental stress, leading to the presentation of distinct molecular signatures on their plasma membranes [1]. These alterations often include the upregulation of stress-induced ligands like MICA, MICB, and ULBPs, which serve as danger signals for the innate and adaptive immune systems [2]. Therapeutic strategies, including CAR-T cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and NK cell-based treatments, aim to exploit these surface changes to selectively eliminate diseased cells while sparing healthy tissue [3]. However, the heterogeneity of these markers across different cancer types and their occasional expression on healthy stressed tissues present significant challenges for drug specificity and safety [1]. Consequently, this category encompasses a wide array of specific molecular targets rather than representing a single, uniform entity [2].

Other names

Tumor cellsTransformed cellsStressed cellsDamaged cellsSenescent cells

Therapeutic agents recognize and bind to specific stress-induced or tumor-associated antigens on the cell surface to trigger immune-mediated lysis or direct apoptosis.