Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17 (BCMA) (BCMA)

Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 17, commonly known as B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA), is a transmembrane receptor primarily expressed on the surface of mature B-lymphocytes and plasma cells (UniProt Q02223). It plays a fundamental role in the immune system by promoting the survival and long-term maintenance of plasma cells through its interaction with ligands such as BAFF and APRIL (PubMed: 11509594). BCMA is highly and nearly universally expressed on malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma, while being absent from naive B-cells and non-hematologic tissues, which makes it a premier target for precision oncology (PubMed: 31515258). Therapeutic strategies targeting BCMA include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates, all designed to selectively eliminate cancerous plasma cells (PubMed: 33212066). Clinical monitoring of soluble BCMA levels has also emerged as a valuable biomarker for tracking disease burden and treatment response in patients with plasma cell dyscrasias (PubMed: 26239184).

Other names

TNFRSF17CD269B-cell maturation antigenBCMB-cell maturation

Targeted cell lysis via Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that induce apoptosis or immune-mediated destruction of BCMA-expressing cells.