title: Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) in cancer progression and metastasis.
abstract: The discovery of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a tumor marker for colorectal cancer some 50 years ago became the first step in the identification of a much larger family of 12 carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) with surprisingly diverse functions in cell adhesion, in intracellular and intercellular signaling, and during complex biological processes such as cancer progression, inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The development of proper molecular and biochemical tools and mouse models has enabled bidirectional translation of the CEACAM network biology. Indeed, CEACAM1, CEACAM5, and CEACAM6 are now considered valid clinical biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets in melanoma, lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. These fascinating proteins illustrate how a better understanding of the CEACAM family of cell adhesion molecules reveals their functional link to the underlying disease and lead to new monitoring and targeting opportunities.
authors.affiliation: Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, nicole.beauchemin@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beauchemin
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arabzadeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D005810:Multigene Family; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C069847:CD66 antigens; C527875:CEACAM5 protein, human; C504117:CEACAM6 protein, human; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins