Self-antigens associated with the treated disease

Self-antigens associated with the treated disease refers to a broad category of endogenous molecules, typically proteins or glycoproteins, that become the target of an aberrant or therapeutic immune response. In autoimmune disorders, these autoantigens are mistakenly recognized by the immune system as foreign, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue destruction, such as myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis or insulin in type 1 diabetes [Source: NIH, PubMed: 30275546]. In oncology, certain self-antigens that are overexpressed or aberrantly expressed by tumors (tumor-associated antigens) are targeted by immunotherapies like CAR-T cells or cancer vaccines to elicit a destructive immune response against malignant cells [Source: Nature Reviews Cancer, PubMed: 29158515]. Because this term describes a functional class of molecules rather than a single biological entity, it is considered a generic placeholder in drug development contexts. Therapeutic strategies involving these antigens focus on either restoring immune tolerance to prevent self-attack or enhancing immune recognition to eliminate diseased cells. Notable safety concerns include the risk of on-target, off-tumor toxicity, where healthy tissues expressing the antigen are damaged, and systemic immune dysregulation such as cytokine release syndrome [Source: FDA, PubMed: 28933094].

Other names

AutoantigensEndogenous antigensTumor-associated antigensTissue-specific antigensSelf-proteins

Induction of antigen-specific immune tolerance or directed immune-mediated cytotoxicity against cells expressing specific endogenous proteins.