Prostate specific membrane antigen
Encyclopedia
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type 2 integral membrane glycoprotein
found in prostate tissues and a few other tissues. It is a possible therapeutic target for prostate cancer
. Although it is a marker
for prostate cancer little is known about its function in the body. PSMA is expressed on tumor cells as a noncovalent homodimer.
It is being used in a nuclear medicine scanning procedure as the cellular target (with injected radioactive-labeled anti-PSMA antibodies as markers) to image
benign and malignant prostate acinar glandular tissue, whether in the gland or as cancer metastases elsewhere in the body.
Numerous clinical trials of cancer therapy are targeted at PSMA.
Glycoprotein
Glycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to polypeptide side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycosylation. In proteins that have segments extending...
found in prostate tissues and a few other tissues. It is a possible therapeutic target for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. Although it is a marker
Marker
Marker may refer to:* Marker , a morpheme that indicates some grammatical function* Marker , a special-purpose computer* A set of sewing patterns tightly arranged within a rectangle that is placed over cloth to be cut...
for prostate cancer little is known about its function in the body. PSMA is expressed on tumor cells as a noncovalent homodimer.
It is being used in a nuclear medicine scanning procedure as the cellular target (with injected radioactive-labeled anti-PSMA antibodies as markers) to image
Molecular imaging
Molecular imaging originated from the field of radiopharmacology due to the need to better understand the fundamental molecular pathways inside organisms in a noninvasive manner.- Overview :...
benign and malignant prostate acinar glandular tissue, whether in the gland or as cancer metastases elsewhere in the body.
Numerous clinical trials of cancer therapy are targeted at PSMA.
See also
- Glutamate carboxypeptidase IIGlutamate carboxypeptidase IIGlutamate carboxypeptidase II , also known as N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate peptidase I , NAAG peptidase, or Prostate specific membrane antigen is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FOLH1 gene...
- Molecular imaging#Optical imaging
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)