title: Is prostate-specific membrane antigen a multifunctional protein?
abstract: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a metallopeptidase expressed predominantly in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. PSMA is considered a biomarker for PCa and is under intense investigation for use as an imaging and therapeutic target. Although the clinical utility of PSMA in the detection and treatment of PCa is evident and is being pursued, very little is known about its basic biological function in PCa cells. The purpose of this review is to highlight the possibility that PSMA might be a multifunctional protein. We suggest that PSMA may function as a receptor internalizing a putative ligand, an enzyme playing a role in nutrient uptake, and a peptidase involved in signal transduction in prostate epithelial cells. Insights into the possible functions of PSMA should improve the diagnostic and therapeutic values of this clinically important molecule.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Univ. of California, Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Ave., Rm. 13-344, CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. arajasekaran@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Ayyappan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rajasekaran
authors.forename: Gopalakrishnapillai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anilkumar
authors.forename: Jason J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D003285:Contractile Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D064448:Filamins; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D003285:Contractile Proteins; D064448:Filamins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II