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Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures
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The Cancer Surfaceome Atlas integrates genomic, functional and drug response data to identify actionable targets

Zhongyi Hu1,2, Jiao Yuan1,2, Meixiao Long3

  • 1Center for Research on Reproduction & Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Nature Cancer
|February 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This study identifies and annotates all genes encoding cell-surface proteins (GESPs) across cancers. These GESPs show cancer-specific expression and hold potential for targeted cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genomics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cell-surface proteins (SPs) are crucial targets for cancer immunotherapies and targeted treatments.
  • Comprehensive identification and characterization of SPs are needed for advancing cancer therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically identify and annotate genes encoding cell-surface proteins (GESPs) pan-cancer.
  • To characterize their expression patterns, genomic alterations, essentiality, and therapeutic potential.

Main Methods:

  • Integration of single-cell and bulk genomics data.
  • Functional studies and target actionability assessments.
  • Systems biology approaches for predicting receptor-ligand interactions.

Main Results:

  • GESP mRNA expression is cancer-type specific and correlates with protein levels.
  • Certain GESP subgroups are essential for tumor cell growth.
  • Identified deregulated receptor-ligand interactions and cancer-specific GESPs with therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

  • This pan-cancer GESP resource provides valuable insights into cancer biology and therapeutic strategies.
  • The Cancer Surfaceome Atlas offers a platform for exploring these critical cancer targets.

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