成纤维细胞活化蛋白-实体肿瘤免疫治疗新靶点

Fibroblast activation protein--potential target for cancer immunotherapy

肿瘤毛细血管内皮细胞表面抗原或间质细胞表面抗原的靶向治疗为肿瘤的治疗开辟了新的研究领域。这些靶向抗原的筛选及其抗体在临床中的应用已成为近年来肿瘤研究的热点。成纤维细胞活化蛋白属于丝氨酸蛋白酶家族成员，选择性表达于肿瘤间质活化的成纤维细胞表面，而在正常组织成纤维细胞表面很少表达或不表达，成纤维细胞活化蛋白（FAP）的蛋白水解酶活性能够促进肿瘤的生长和增殖。这使其成为肿瘤免疫靶向治疗理想的候选蛋白。

Selectively targeting antigens expressed on the surface of tumor capillary endothelial cells or tumor stroma cells has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapeutics. Identification of stromal targets for antieancer therapy and development of selective inhibitors of these targets are of great clinical interest. Fibroblast activation protein （FAP） , a member of the serine protease family, is selectively expressed in the stromal fibroblasts associated with epithelial cancers, whereas its expression in the resting fibroblasts of normal adult tissue is undete ctable. The proteolytie activity of FAP has been shown to support tumor growth and proliferation. This feature of FAP makes it a potential target for novel anticancer immumotherapy.