The metalloproteinase SAS1B [ovastacin, ASTL, astacin-like] was immunolocalized on the oolemma of ovulated human oocytes and in normal ovaries within the pool of growing oocytes where SAS1B protein was restricted to follicular stages spanning the primary-secondary follicle transition through ovulation. Gene-specific PCR and immunohistochemical studies revealed ASTL messages and SAS1B protein in both endometrioid [74%] and malignant mixed Mullerian tumors (MMMT) [87%] of the uterus. A MMMT-derived cell line, SNU539, expressed cell surface SAS1B that, after binding polyclonal antibodies, internalized into EEA1/LAMP1-positive early and late endosomes. Treatment of SNU539 cells with anti-SAS1B polyclonal antibodies caused growth arrest in the presence of active complement. A saporin-immunotoxin directed to SAS1B induced growth arrest and cell death. The oocyte restricted expression pattern of SAS1B among adult organs, cell-surface accessibility, internalization into the endocytic pathway, and tumor cell growth arrest induced by antibody-toxin conjugates suggest therapeutic approaches that would selectively target tumors while limiting adverse drug effects in healthy cells. The SAS1B metalloproteinase is proposed as a prototype cancer-oocyte tumor surface neoantigen for development of targeted immunotherapeutics with limited on-target/off tumor effects predicted to be restricted to the population of growing oocytes.
Keywords: ASTL/SAS1B/ovastacin; cancer surface neoantigen; immunotherapy target; oocyte-specific protein; uterine tumor biomarkers.