The Glypican-2 (GPC2) antibody targets GPC2. a member of the glypican family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans anchored to the cell membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage. GPC2 is predominantly expressed during embryonic development, particularly in the nervous system, where it regulates neurite outgrowth, synaptic connectivity, and neural patterning by modulating Wnt, FGF, and BMP signaling pathways. In recent years, GPC2 has gained attention as a potential therapeutic target due to its aberrant overexpression in certain cancers, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and small-cell lung carcinoma, while remaining largely absent in most healthy adult tissues. This tumor-specific expression profile makes GPC2 an attractive candidate for antibody-based therapies to minimize off-target effects.
GPC2 antibodies are being explored for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) or CAR-T cell therapies. Preclinical studies demonstrate that anti-GPC2 antibodies can selectively bind tumor cells, inhibit oncogenic signaling (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin), and deliver cytotoxic payloads effectively. Challenges include optimizing antibody specificity to avoid cross-reactivity with other glypicans and addressing potential resistance mechanisms. Ongoing research aims to validate GPC2's role in tumorigenesis and translate these findings into clinical trials, positioning GPC2 antibodies as a promising avenue for precision oncology.