T-cell receptor recognizing prostate tumor-associated antigens (TCR-PTAA)

T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognizing prostate tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are specialized immune receptors engineered for use in adoptive cell therapies to treat advanced prostate cancer (Source: PubMed PMID: 25061175). These TCRs are designed to bind specifically to peptide fragments derived from proteins highly expressed in prostate tissue, such as Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA), and Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP), when these peptides are presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules on the cell surface (Source: PubMed PMID: 15155838). Unlike Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs), which typically recognize surface-bound proteins, TCRs can target peptides derived from intracellular proteins, significantly expanding the range of targetable antigens in solid tumors (Source: Science, 2018, 359(6382):1361-1365). Upon successful binding to the peptide-MHC complex, the TCR initiates a signaling cascade that activates the T cell, leading to the release of cytotoxic granules such as perforins and granzymes that induce apoptosis in the target cancer cell (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer, 2016, 16(9):566-581). This therapeutic approach is primarily investigated in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, often utilizing autologous T cells genetically modified to express the specific TCR (Source: NCT02111928). Key challenges include the requirement for patients to possess specific HLA alleles (e.g., HLA-A*02:01) and the potential for off-target toxicity if the target antigen is expressed at low levels in healthy non-prostatic tissues (Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2015, 125(9):3392-3400).

Other names

Prostate-specific antigen-specific T-cell receptorPSA-specific TCRPSMA-specific TCRProstate-specific membrane antigen-specific T-cell receptorPAP-specific TCRProstatic acid phosphatase-specific T-cell receptorProstate cancer-specific TCR

TCR-mediated recognition of peptide-MHC complexes on tumor cells, leading to T-cell activation, cytokine release, and direct lysis of the target cell.