Podoplanin: An emerging cancer biomarker and therapeutic target

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a transmembrane receptor glycoprotein that is upregulated on transformed cells, cancer associated fibroblasts and inflammatory macrophages that contribute to cancer progression. In particular, PDPN increases tumor cell clonal capacity, epithelial mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, metastasis and inflammation. Antibodies, CAR-T cells, biologics and synthetic compounds that target PDPN can inhibit cancer progression and septic inflammation in preclinical models. This review describes recent advances in how PDPN may be used as a biomarker and therapeutic target for many types of cancer, including glioma, squamous cell carcinoma, mesothelioma and melanoma.Funding Agencies|Proteintech; Fox Rothschild; VWR; Sentrimed; Rowan University; Osteopathic Heritage Foundation; New Jersey Health Foundation; JSPS KAKENHI [25461674, 24659185, 16H05311, 2617H06356]; National Cancer Center Research and Development Fund [23-A-12]; Foundation for the Promotion of Cancer Research; 3rd Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control; Advanced Research for Medical Products Mining Programme of the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (NIBIO); British Heart Foundation [RG/13/18/30563]; Project for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Evolution (P-CREATE) [17cm0106205 h0002]; Medical Research and Development Programs Focused on Technology Transfer, Acceleration Transformative Research for Medical Innovation (ACT-MS) from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) [17im0210607 h0002]