CD24 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Patients with B-Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma: Current Insights

CD24 is a highly glycosylated glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein that is expressed in many types of differentiating cells and some mature cells of the immune system as well as the central nervous system. CD24 has been extensively used as a biomarker for developing B cells as its expression levels change over the course of B cell development. Functionally, engagement of CD24 induces apoptosis in developing B cells and restricts cell growth in more mature cell types. Interestingly, CD24 is also expressed on many hematological and solid tumors. As such, it has been investigated as a therapeutic target in many solid tumors including ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, lung and others. Most of the B-cell leukemias and lymphomas studied to date express CD24 but its role as a therapeutic target in these malignancies has, thus far, been understudied. Here, I review what is known about CD24 biology with a focus on B cell development and activation followed by a brief overview of how CD24 is being targeted in solid tumors. This is followed by an assessment of the value of CD24 as a therapeutic target in B cell leukemia and lymphoma in humans, including an evaluation of the challenges in using CD24 as a target considering its pattern of expression on normal cells.