PSMA

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the early detection of prostate cancer dramatically and efficiently reduces the observed mortality rate. Several proteins have been identified as specific markers of prostate cancer, and they may be useful as diagnostic indicators. PSA, prostate specific antigen, is the classical indicator for transformed prostate tissue; however, in addition to being upregulated in prostate cancer, PSA is also upregulated in non-malignant conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia prostate. Conversely, STEAP (six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate), prostate carcinoma tumor antigen (PCTA-1) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSM) represent additional prostate-specific antigens that are overexpressed only in malignant tumors and therefore are more specific identifiers of malignancies. PSM is an integral membrane protein, and PCTA-1 is related to the galectin gene family, which mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in a manner similar to the selectin subgroup of C-type lectins. STEAP is a serpentine transmembrane cell-surface tumor-antigen that is predicted to functions as a channel or transporter protein.