Upregulated lung cancer 10 protein (URLC10) (URLC10)

Upregulated lung cancer 10 protein (URLC10), also known as C19orf33, is a cancer/testis antigen (CTA) that is significantly overexpressed in several types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer (UniProt Q8IZL7; PMID: 15150593). Under normal physiological conditions, its expression is restricted to the testis, an immune-privileged site, making it an ideal candidate for targeted immunotherapy with minimal off-target effects. URLC10 plays a critical role in the growth and survival of cancer cells; its knockdown via small interfering RNA has been shown to drastically inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in lung cancer cell lines (PMID: 15150593). In the context of drug development, URLC10 is primarily targeted using peptide vaccines designed to elicit a robust cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response. These vaccines utilize specific HLA-restricted epitopes of the URLC10 protein to prime the immune system to recognize and destroy malignant cells expressing the antigen (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00923052). Clinical trials have explored URLC10-derived peptides both as monotherapy and as part of multi-antigen cocktail vaccines, demonstrating the potential for inducing tumor-specific immunity and improving patient outcomes in advanced-stage cancers (PMID: 21814047).

Other names

C19orf33Cancer/testis antigen 106CT106Up-regulated lung cancer 10

Induction of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that recognize and eliminate URLC10-expressing tumor cells through HLA-restricted peptide presentation.