Carcinoembryonic antigen gene family: Molecular biology and clinical perspectives

Abstract

The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family belongs to the immunoglobulin supergene family and can be divided into two main subgroups based on sequence comparisons. In humans it is clustered on the long arm of chromosome 19 and consists of approximately 20 genes. The CEA subgroup genes code for CEA and its classical crossreacting antigens, which are mainly membrane-bound, whereas the other subgroup genes encode the pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSG), which are secreted. Splice variants of individual genes and differential post-translational modifications of the resulting proteins, e.g., by glycosylation, indicate a high complexity in the number of putative CEA-related molecules. So far, only a limited number of CEArelated antigens in humans have been unequivocally assigned to a specific gene.Rodent CEA-related genes reveal a high sequence divergence and, in part, a completely different domain organization than the human CEA gene family, making it difficult to determine individual gene counterparts. However, rodent CEA-related genes can be assigned to human subgroups based on similarity of expression patterns, which is characteristic for the subgroups. Various functions have been determined for members of the CEA subgroup in vitro, including cell adhesion, bacterial binding, an accessory role for collagen binding or ecto-ATPases activity.Based on all that is known so far on its biology, the clinical outlook for the CEA family has been reassessed.

Association of biliary glycoprotein with protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in malignant colon epithelial cells

“…Biliary glycoprotein (Bgp) is a cell-surface immunoglobulin-like protein and a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family (Thompson et al, 1991). Bgp is well conserved throughout evolution.…”

CEACAM6 gene expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

“…Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-linked immunoglobulin super family member (Thompson et al, 1991) that is overexpressed in a variety of malignancies Kodera et al, 1993;Jantscheff et al, 2003;Duxbury et al, 2004a). Despite lacking an intracellular domain, CEACAM6 is able to influence intracellular signaling events, and overexpression of this molecule appears to promote gastrointestinal cancer progression (Scholzel et al, 2000;Ilantzis et al, 2002).…”

Efficient antitumor immunity in a murine colorectal cancer model induced by CEA RNA‐electroporated B cells

“…Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a 180-kDa oncofetal glycoprotein and soluble tumor marker expressed in the vast majority of colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic carcinomas, approximately 50% of breast cancers, and 70% of non-small cell lung cancers [15]. Several vaccine approaches, including peptides, viral vectors, and DC, have been attempted in human and experimental studies for the treatment of tumors expressing CEA [16][17][18].…”