Autologous tumor-associated antigen (TAA)

Autologous tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are a heterogeneous group of molecules expressed by a patient's own tumor cells that are capable of eliciting an immune response [1, 2]. Unlike neoantigens, which arise from unique mutations, TAAs are typically self-proteins that are abnormally overexpressed, inappropriately expressed in adult tissues, or post-translationally modified in malignant cells [2, 4]. These antigens serve as critical targets for personalized cancer immunotherapies, including dendritic cell vaccines and autologous whole-cell vaccines [15, 17]. By utilizing the full spectrum of antigens present in a patient's tumor, these therapies aim to educate the immune system to recognize the patient’s specific tumor profile and overcome the challenges of tumor heterogeneity [22, 23]. In therapeutic applications, autologous TAAs are often harvested directly from the patient's tumor tissue to ensure a polyvalent immune response [10, 15]. However, because TAAs may also be present on some normal cells at lower levels, their therapeutic use carries a risk of on-target, off-tumor toxicity and the induction of autoimmunity [3, 10]. Despite these challenges, targeting autologous TAAs remains a cornerstone of precision oncology, with several candidates currently in clinical development for various solid tumors [11, 16]. The efficacy of targeting these antigens is often monitored through biomarkers such as TAA-specific autoantibodies and the degree of T-cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment [10, 19].

Other names

Tumor-associated antigenSelf-antigenNeoplasm antigenCancer antigenPatient-specific tumor antigenTAAs

Induction of active immunity by presenting patient-specific tumor antigens to the host immune system to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes and helper T cells.