Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) antibodies are tools designed to target the SHH protein, a key morphogen in the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. This pathway is evolutionarily conserved and plays critical roles in embryonic development, tissue patterning, and stem cell regulation. SHH, secreted by cells, binds to the Patched (PTCH) receptor, relieving its inhibition on Smoothened (SMO) and activating downstream Gli transcription factors. Dysregulation of SHH signaling is linked to developmental disorders, cancers (e.g., medulloblastoma, basal cell carcinoma), and degenerative diseases.
SHH antibodies, including monoclonal and polyclonal types, are widely used in research to inhibit SHH activity, study pathway mechanisms, or detect SHH expression in tissues. Therapeutically, neutralizing SHH antibodies have been explored to block ligand-receptor interactions in cancers or fibrosis. However, challenges like off-target effects and complex pathway crosstalk limit clinical translation. Some small-molecule inhibitors targeting downstream components (e.g., SMO) are FDA-approved, but antibody-based therapies remain under investigation. These antibodies also serve as diagnostic tools, helping correlate SHH levels with disease progression. Overall, SHH antibodies bridge basic research and therapeutic innovation, though their full potential requires further refinement.