Discovery of antibodies and cognate surface targets for ovarian cancer by surface profiling

Bärbel Schröfelbauer1,2, Patrick K Kimes3, Paige Hauke1

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.

Insights

We developed a new platform for discovering cancer targets and antibodies simultaneously. This approach identified BCAM as a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Antibody-based cancer therapeutics rely on identifying specific tumor antigens.
  • Discovering novel cancer targets for antibody development remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a high-throughput platform for unbiased, simultaneous discovery of cancer targets and antibodies.
  • To identify novel therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a phenotypic binding profile-based screening approach.
  • Integrated genomics, flow cytometry, and mass spectrometry for target identification.
  • Applied the platform to ovarian cancer models.

Main Results:

  • Identified a diverse range of ovarian cancer targets, including receptor tyrosine kinases, adhesion/migration proteins, proteases, and angiogenesis regulators.
  • BCAM was identified as a promising target for high-grade serous ovarian cancers.
  • Demonstrated the platform's ability to discover multiple targets in a single screening round.

Conclusions:

  • The developed platform offers a rapid and flexible framework for identifying cancer targets and therapeutic antibodies.
  • BCAM represents a potential novel target for ovarian cancer therapy.
  • This unbiased approach accelerates the development of targeted cancer treatments.

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