EpCAM

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM), also known as EGP314 (Epithelial glycoprotein 314), TACSTD1 (tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 1), TROP1, HNPCC8, MIC18, KSA, M4S1, MK-1, DIAR5, EGP-2, EGP40 or KS1/4, is a 40 kDa type I membrane glycoprotein. This protein is 314 amino acids (aa) in length, consisting of a 243-aa extracellular domain with two epidermal-growth-factor-like repeats within the cysteine-rich N-terminal region, a 23-aa transmembrane domain, and a 26-aa cytoplasmic domain.

EPCAM is reported to be expressed on most normal epithelial cells and gastrointestinal carcinomas. In addition of being overexpressed in many carcinomas, the expression of EpCAM is also found in cancer stem cells, making EpCAM an attractive target for immunotherapy. Although the exact function of EPCAM remains unclear, EPCAM is reported to play important roles in cell adhesion as well as cancer development. This protein may function as a physical homophilic interaction molecule between intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) at the mucosal epithelium to provide immunological barrier as a first-line defense against mucosal infection. Other researches implicated that EpCAM can be cleaved which lends the molecule oncogenic potential and it is also involved in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumors.

Gene ID: 4072
UniProt ID: P16422