FAM168B identified as a novel candidate target for chimeric antigen receptor T cell-based cancer therapy

Abstract

Aging-related diseases, particularly cancer, remain major health challenges that demand new therapeutic strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a powerful modality in immuno-oncology, enabling patient-derived T cells to be engineered ex vivo to recognize and eliminate tumor antigens. Here, we identify FAM168B (family with sequence similarity 168 member B, also known as myelin-associated neurite-outgrowth inhibitor, MANI) and its homolog FAM168A (tongue cancer resistance-associated protein 1, TCRP1) as candidate membrane-associated proteins expressed on cancer cell surfaces. The unique characteristics of FAM168B suggest its potential as a tumor-specific target for CAR T cell development. This approach could expand the therapeutic repertoire of CAR T cell therapy and support the design of more precise and versatile treatment strategies for diverse cancer types.