CD174 antibody targets the CD174 antigen, also known as Lewis Y (LeY), a carbohydrate blood group-related antigen expressed on cell surfaces. Structurally, LeY is a difucosylated oligosaccharide (Fucα1-2Galβ1-4[Fucα1-3]GlcNAc) synthesized by the fucosyltransferase FUT3. It plays roles in cell adhesion, signaling, and immune recognition. While minimally expressed in normal tissues (e.g., epithelial cells), CD174 is overexpressed in many carcinomas, including ovarian, breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers, where it correlates with tumor progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance.
CD174 antibodies are widely utilized in research and diagnostics. In oncology, they serve as immunohistochemical (IHC) markers to identify LeY-positive tumors and assess prognosis. Functionally, these antibodies help study LeY's involvement in cancer stem cell maintenance and interactions with endothelial cells during metastasis. Therapeutically, CD174 has been explored as a target for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, and radioimmunotherapy due to its tumor-specific expression. However, challenges remain, including potential off-target effects due to low-level expression in normal tissues. Current research focuses on optimizing antibody specificity and evaluating clinical efficacy in targeted cancer treatments.