CD37

CD37 is a transmembrane protein that is primarily expressed on the surface of B cells, a type of white blood cell. It is a member of the tetraspanin superfamily, a group of proteins that span the cell membrane four times and are involved in various cellular processes.

Structure

The CD37 protein is composed of 295 amino acids and has a molecular weight of approximately 40 kiloDaltons. It has four transmembrane domains, two extracellular loops, and one intracellular loop. The large extracellular loop is thought to be involved in protein-protein interactions.

Function

CD37 is involved in several important cellular processes, including cell adhesion, signal transduction, and immune response. It plays a crucial role in the regulation of B cell function and development. CD37 is also involved in the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

Clinical significance

Alterations in the expression of CD37 have been associated with various diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancer. In particular, CD37 is often overexpressed in B cell lymphoma, a type of cancer that originates in the B cells. This has led to the development of therapeutic strategies that target CD37, such as monoclonal antibodies and immunotoxins.

Therapeutic potential

Several drugs that target CD37 are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of B cell lymphomas. These include BI 836826, a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD37 and triggers the death of cancer cells, and IMGN529, an antibody-drug conjugate that delivers a cytotoxic drug directly to cancer cells expressing CD37.

See also

• Tetraspanin
• B cell
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Immunotoxins