Neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1) (CD56)

Neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1), commonly known as CD56, is a cell surface glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily that mediates cell-cell adhesion through homophilic and heterophilic interactions (UniProt: P13591). It is a primary marker for natural killer (NK) cells and is also expressed on subsets of T cells, neurons, and muscle cells, where it facilitates neurite outgrowth, synaptic plasticity, and immune surveillance (PubMed: 25043261). In oncology, CD56 is frequently overexpressed in various malignancies, including multiple myeloma, small cell lung cancer, and neuroblastoma, making it a significant target for therapeutic intervention (PubMed: 23511361). Therapeutic strategies have primarily focused on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) like lorvotuzumab mertansine and the development of CAR-T or CAR-NK cell therapies (DrugBank: DB05114). However, the physiological expression of CD56 in healthy neural and immune tissues presents significant challenges regarding off-target toxicity and clinical safety profiles.

Other names

NCAM1Neural cell adhesion molecule 1CD56MSK39Leu-19Antigen recognized by monoclonal antibody 5.1H11

Targeted delivery of cytotoxic agents via antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and redirection of immune effector cells through chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) (PubMed: 30634450).