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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.