title: Targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen for personalized therapies in prostate cancer: morphologic and molecular backgrounds and future promises.
abstract: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an integral, non-shed membrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed on prostate epithelial cells and strongly upregulated in prostate cancer (PCa). Prostatic neoplastic transformation results in the transfer of PSMA from the apical membrane to the luminal surface of the ducts. However, the role of PSMA in tumor angiogenesis and carcinogenesis is poorly understood. PSMA is characterized by folate hydrolase and carboxypeptidase activity and internalization function, and its levels are directly correlated to androgen independence, metastasis and PCa progression. As largely substantiated by preclinical and clinical findings, PSMA could represent a promising target for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals for PCa imaging. Furthermore, PSMA could prove an important target for the development of new therapeutic approaches, including PSMA-based aptamers, peptides, antibody-drug conjugated therapy, as well as radiotherapy and immunotherapy. This review will summarize the role of PSMA in PCa development and progression and its potential role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with initial and advanced PCa.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoni
authors.affiliation: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarpelli
authors.affiliation: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazzucchelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez-Beltran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
authors.affiliation: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montironi
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II