Dependence Receptor Biology & Tumor Suppression. UNC5C functions as a dependence receptor that triggers apoptosis in the absence of its ligand Netrin-1 (NTN1). In multiple solid tumors, autocrine Netrin-1 expression blocks UNC5C-mediated cell death, creating a therapeutic vulnerability addressable through pathway inhibition. Access high-purity UNC5C extracellular domain proteins, Netrin-1 antigens, and lentiviral tools engineered specifically for dependence receptor drug development. Market intelligence, clinical progress, and high-purity reagents for oncology and neurodegeneration development.
TarMart Solution Ecosystem & Related Targets
Comprehensive reagent toolkit for UNC5C drug discovery. Select your modality below:
| Component / Network | Product Description | Product Link |
|---|---|---|
| Antigen | UNC5C ECD-Fc Fusion Protein Ig-like & TSP domains (aa 1-415). HEK293 expressed, Sequence Verified, >95% purity, Endotoxin <1 EU/µg. Preserve native glycosylation critical for Netrin-1 binding. |
View UNC5C Products |
| Ligand | Netrin-1 (NTN1) Recombinant Protein Full ectodomain (aa 22-604) with heparin-binding & laminin domains. Required for competition binding assays. |
View NTN1 Products |
| Gene Delivery | UNC5C Lentivirus Premade Particles Full-length ORF with puromycin resistance. Generate stable dependence receptor expression lines for apoptosis assays. |
View UNC5C Products |
| Benchmark Ab | Anti-UNC5C (Clone Reference: Sequence-Verified) Recombinant rabbit/human chimeric for epitope binning and competitive ligand displacement studies. |
View UNC5C Products |
| Validator | UNC5C siRNA Set For knockdown verification and assay specificity controls. |
View UNC5C Products |
| Co-Receptor | DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) Netrin-1 co-receptor. Essential for complete signaling complex studies and selectivity panels. |
View DCC Products |
| Paralog Control | UNC5B / UNC5A ECD Proteins Off-target liability screening for pan-UNC5 inhibitors. Sequence-verified distinct Ig-like domain truncations. |
View UNC5B Products |
Critical Assay Challenges & Technical Specifications
| Critical Assay Challenge | The TarMart Advantage (Technical Spec) |
|---|---|
| Netrin-1 Competition (High-affinity ligand displacement) | UNC5C ECD-Fc with verified native conformation (disulfide bond checked) for quantitative SPR/BLI competition assays; NTN1 protein included as competitor standard |
| Dependence Receptor Apoptosis Induction | Lentivirus-transduced stable cell lines expressing physiological UNC5C levels; sequence-verified wild-type vs. death domain mutants available as negative controls |
| Cross-species Toxicology (Cyno/Mouse) | Human/Cynomolgus/Mouse UNC5C ortholog proteins with >98% sequence coverage; conserved Netrin-1 binding interface validated by mass spec |
| UNC5 Family Selectivity (A/B/D) | Paralog panel (UNC5A, UNC5B, UNC5D) with distinct Ig-like domain truncations; strict endotoxin control (<0.1 EU/µg) for sensitive cellular toxicity assays |
| Epitope Mapping (Blocking vs. Non-blocking) | Domain-specific UNC5C fragments (Ig1, Ig2, TSP) for precise epitope binning; paired with validated anti-NTN1 positive controls |
| Assay Controls & Target Validation | Recombinant Benchmark Antibodies (anti-NTN1/anti-UNC5C) and validated UNC5C siRNA set for specificity checks; negative controls for false positives in apoptosis assays |
Live UNC5C R&D Tracker
Market data changes daily. Access the latest global pipeline status directly:
- ➤ View Active Clinical Trials (UNC5C / Netrin-1 pathway)
- ➤ Latest Dependence Receptor Mechanism Research
- ➤ Recent Patent Filings (UNC5C targeting)
Global Clinical Landscape & Future Outlook
The UNC5C/Netrin-1 axis represents a paradigm shift from traditional growth factor targeting to dependence receptor exploitation. While first-generation approaches focus on Netrin-1 neutralization (e.g., Netris Pharma's NP137 in Phase 1/2), the next wave targets direct UNC5C agonism or ADC exploitation of UNC5C expression in colorectal and breast cancer subsets. As a dependence receptor, UNC5C induces apoptosis in the absence of Netrin-1; cancer cells often overexpress Netrin-1 to block this apoptotic signal. Beyond oncology, UNC5C mutations (e.g., T835M, corresponding to dbSNP:rs137875858) increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD) by promoting neuronal cell death, opening a CNS precision medicine avenue. As epigenetic restoration strategies advance, UNC5C re-expression combined with ligand blockade is emerging as a synthetic lethal approach for tumors with UNC5C promoter methylation. Combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, this axis holds promise for ICI-refractory solid tumors.
Competitive Modality & Indication Snapshot
| Modality | Representative Players | Key Indications | Critical Assay Need (Why TarMart?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Netrin-1 mAb | Netris Pharma (NP137), Biogen | Colorectal, Breast, Ovarian (solid tumors) | UNC5C/NTN1 binding inhibition (Quantitative SPR with ECD-Fc); Apoptosis readout in UNC5C+ cell lines |
| UNC5C Decoy / Trap Biologic | Preclinical Biotech / Academia | PDAC, CRC | Ligand Sequestration Standard (Need UNC5C ECD-Fc for trap quantification and PK studies) |
| UNC5C-Targeting ADC | Emerging biotech (undisclosed) | UNC5C+ Metastatic CRC | Internalization assay using UNC5C full-length lentivirus stable lines; pH-dependent linker validation |
| Bispecific (UNC5C/DCC) | Preclinical programs | Neuro-oncology, Colorectal | Heterodimer binding assays; DCC co-receptor competition panels |
| Small Molecule / Modulator | Academic/Biopharma partnerships | Alzheimer's disease, neurodegeneration | Selectivity assay using mutant vs wild-type UNC5C proteins; need for T835M variant proteins |
| Epigenetic / Combination | Academic consortia | UNC5C-methylated tumors | UNC5C expression restoration quantification; Death domain functional validation (mutant controls) |