CAGE1

CAGE1, short for Cancer/Testis Antigen 1, is also referred to as CTAG1-like protein in some scientific contexts. It belongs to the cancer-testis antigen family, normally restricted to testicular germ cells but aberrantly expressed in multiple malignancies. It regulates cell proliferation and anti-apoptotic processes, potentially via modulating signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin.
Overexpression of CAGE1 correlates with poor outcomes in melanoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer. As a promising immunotherapeutic target, peptide vaccines targeting CAGE1 have advanced to preclinical or early clinical trials, designed to trigger specific T-cell responses against tumor cells expressing this antigen.