Glypican-3 (1G12), MMab

Summary and Explanation

Glypican 3, also known as GPC3, is a human gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the glypican family. Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans are composed of a membrane-associated protein core substituted with a variable number of heparan sulfate chains. Members of the glypican-related integral membrane proteoglycan family (GRIPS) contain a core protein anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane via a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage. These proteins may play a role in the control of cell division and growth regulation.

Glypican-3 antibody has been identified to be a useful tumor marker for the diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Hepatoblastoma, Melanoma, Testicular Germ Cell Tumors, and Wilms Tumor. In patients with HCC, GPC3 was overexpressed in neoplastic liver tissue and elevated in serum but was undetectable in normal liver, benign liver, and the serum of healthy donors. GPC3 expression was also found to be higher in HCC liver tissue than in cirrhotic liver or liver with focal lesions such as dysplastic nodules and areas of hepatic adenoma (HA) with malignant transformation. In the context of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors, GPC3 expression is up-regulated in certain histologic subtypes, specifically Yolk Sac Tumors and Choriocarcinoma. A high level of GPC3 expression has also been found in some types of embryonal tumors, such as Wilms Tumor and Hepatoblastoma.