Update value and clinical application of MUC16 (cancer antigen 125)

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The largest transmembrane mucin, mucin 16 (MUC16), contains abundant glycosylation sites on the molecular surface, allowing it to participate in various molecular pathways. When cells lose polarity and become cancerous, MUC16 is overexpressed, and more of the extracellular region (cancer antigen [CA]125) is released into serum and possibly, promote the development of diseases. Thus, MUC16 plays an indispensable role in clinical research and application.

Areas covered

This review summarizes the update proposed role of MUC16 in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Most importantly, we prospect its potential value in targeted therapy after screening 1226 articles published within the last 10 years from PubMed. Two reviewers screened each record and each report retrieved independently. We have summarized the progress of MUC16/CA125 in basic research and clinical application, and predicted its possible future development directions.

Expert opinion

As an important noninvasive co-factor in the diagnosis of gynecological diseases, MUC16 has been used for a long time, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. The overexpression of MUC16 plays a very obvious role in regulating inflammatory response, supporting immune suppression, and promoting the proliferation, division, and metastasis of cancer cells. In the next 20 years, there will be a luxuriant clinical application of MUC16 as a target for immune monitoring and immunotherapy.

KEYWORDS:

• CA125
• MUC16
• glycosylation
• benign
• malignant
• carcinogenesis
• target therapy

Article highlights

• Latest progress in basic research and clinical aspects of MUC16/CA125.

• The role of MUC16/CA125 in the development of tumors.

• Application of MUC16/CA125 in benign and malignant diseases.

• Research progress on MUC16/CA125 as a new target for immunoimaging and immunotherapy.

• The limitations and issues that need to be addressed in current research on MUC16/CA125.

Declaration of interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

YA Song took part in the conception of this review, screened each record and each report retrieved, drafted the manuscript, and prepared the figures. M Yuan screened each record and each report retrieved, and revised the article. GY Wang revised the article and performed the final approval of the version to be submitted.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China [No. 2022YFC2704000], the Major Basic Research of Natural Science Foundation of Shandong [grant number ZR2021ZD34], the National Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 82071621], and the General Project of Shandong Natural Science Foundation [grant number ZR2023MH177].