Tumor-associated antigen-bearing tumor cells (TAA-bearing tumor cells) (TAA-bearing tumor cells)

Tumor-associated antigen-bearing tumor cells are malignant cells characterized by the presence of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) on their surface or within their cytoplasm. TAAs are proteins, carbohydrates, or other macromolecules that are preferentially expressed by tumor cells but may also be found at lower levels on normal tissues (National Cancer Institute, 2023). These cells serve as the focal point for various cancer immunotherapies, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and adoptive cell therapies like CAR-T cells (Pardoll, 2012, Nature Reviews Cancer). The therapeutic objective is to exploit the differential expression of these antigens to selectively eliminate the tumor cell population while sparing healthy host tissues. However, the effectiveness of targeting these cells is often limited by intratumoral heterogeneity, where only a subset of cells may express the target antigen, leading to therapeutic resistance and disease recurrence (Majzner & Mackall, 2018, Cancer Discovery). Additionally, because TAAs are not strictly tumor-specific, on-target, off-tumor toxicity remains a significant safety concern in clinical development (June et al., 2018, Science).

Other names

Antigen-positive tumor cellsTAA-expressing cancer cellsTumor cells expressing tumor-associated antigens

Therapeutic agents bind to specific tumor-associated antigens on the cell surface to induce cell death through immune-mediated mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), or direct T-cell mediated lysis via CAR-T or bispecific engagers (Vigneron, 2015, Cancer and Metastasis Reviews; Abbas et al., 2021, Cellular and Molecular Immunology).