CD37 Human

CD37 plays a crucial role in the immune system. It is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. The protein becomes tyrosine phosphorylated and facilitates the association with intracellular signaling proteins that drive both survival and apoptosis in B cells . This makes CD37 an attractive target for immunotherapy, particularly in the context of B-cell malignancies such as non-Hodgkin lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia .

Due to its restricted and high-level expression in normal and neoplastic B cells, CD37 has been extensively studied as a therapeutic target. Various approaches have been developed to exploit CD37 in targeting malignant B cells, including the generation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and monoclonal antibodies . Notably, anti-CD37 antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) like naratuximab emtansine and CD37-targeting radioimmunotherapy (RIT) such as Betalutin have shown efficacy in clinical testing for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients .

Recombinant CD37 is produced using recombinant DNA technology, which involves inserting the gene encoding CD37 into an expression system to produce the protein in vitro. This recombinant form is used in various research and therapeutic applications, including the development of monoclonal antibodies and CAR-T cell therapies .

Recent studies have focused on engineering humanized anti-CD37 antibodies with enhanced effector functions and extended plasma half-life. These antibodies have been shown to induce potent antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP), and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) against CD37-expressing non-Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines and patient-derived chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells .