| Background |
Cluster of differentiation molecule 103 (CD103)/Integrin, alpha E (ITGAE) is a transmembrane protein forming heterodimers that are composed of α and β subunits. CD103/ITGAE is expressed by subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, and mast cells in mucosal tissues. The heterodimer composed of CD103/ITGAE and integrin beta 7 interacts with E-cadherin, a cellular adhesion molecule found on epithelial cells. The CD103/ITGAE and integrin beta 7 complex plays a role in thymocyte proliferation, intestinal T cell homing, and the antitumor immune response. Studies have shown that the presence of CD103/ITGAE(+) immune cells can be used as markers for a favorable prognosis in different epithelial cancers.
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