Prostate cancer-associated antigen

Prostate cancer-associated antigens (PCAAs) are a diverse group of proteins or mutated peptides expressed by prostate cancer cells that are processed and presented on the cell surface via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules (Janeway et al., 2001). These antigens include lineage-specific proteins such as Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) and Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP), as well as unique neoantigens resulting from somatic mutations (Santoro et al., 2020). They are recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which is the fundamental mechanism behind immunotherapies like cancer vaccines (e.g., Sipuleucel-T) and TCR-engineered T-cell therapies (Kantoff et al., 2010). In many clinical contexts, such as adoptive cell transfer using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), the specific antigens targeted are 'undefined' or patient-specific (NCI, 2023). While these targets offer a path for precision oncology, they pose significant challenges regarding on-target off-tumor toxicity if the antigens are also present in healthy tissues, as well as risks of systemic inflammatory responses like cytokine release syndrome (Santoro et al., 2020).

Other names

Tumor-associated antigen (TAA)Tumor-specific antigen (TSA)NeoantigenProstate tumor antigenCancer-testis antigen (CTA)

Recognition of peptide-MHC complexes by T-cell receptors (TCRs) leading to the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and subsequent lysis of prostate cancer cells.