A33

The A33 antigen is a cell surface glycoprotein that is highly expressed on the surface of most colorectal cancer cells, as well as in normal gastrointestinal epithelium. Due to it's limited expression in healthy tissue, and high expression on colorectal cancer it became a target for immunotherapy. The precise function of the A33 antigen is not yet fully understood, but it is thought to be involved in cell adhesion and signaling. The A33 antigen has become a target for monoclonal antibody-based therapies for colorectal cancer. Clinical trials have investigated the use of A33-targeted antibodies, either alone or conjugated with radioisotopes or cytotoxic drugs, for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Continued research is focused on optimising A33 antigen based therapies.