CD36: a promising therapeutic target in hematologic tumors

Abstract

Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a multiligand receptor with important roles in lipid metabolism, angiogenesis and innate immunity, and its diverse effects may depend on the binding of specific ligands in different contexts. CD36 is expressed not only on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) but also on some hematopoietic cells. CD36 is associated with the growth, metastasis and drug resistance in some hematologic tumors, such as leukemia, lymphoma and myelodysplastic syndrome. Currently, some targeted therapeutic agents against CD36 have been developed, such as anti-CD36 antibodies, CD36 antagonists (small molecules) and CD36 expression inhibitors. This paper not only innovatively addresses the role of CD36 in some hematopoietic cells, such as erythrocytes, hematopoietic stem cells and platelets, but also pays special attention to the role of CD36 in the development of hematologic tumors, and suggests that CD36 may be a potential cancer therapeutic target in hematologic tumors.

Keywords:

• CD36
• hematologic tumors
• therapeutic target

Authors’ contributions

NY and QJ composed the manuscript and literature review. CL and LZ searched, screened, and collated the works of literature. JC provided the analysis and interpretation of the literature. CW revised it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published, and is accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data availability is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ‘National Natural Science Foundation of China’ (grant number 8226010026); the ‘Scientific Research Project of Gansu Province’ (grant number 22JR11RA053), and the ‘CuiYing postgraduate tutor’ training program of Lanzhou University Second Hospital (grant number 201710).