Absent in melanoma 2 peptide-HLA-A complex (AIM2/HLA-A)

Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) peptide-HLA-A complex is a peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) that functions as a tumor-associated antigen (TAA). AIM2 is a member of the interferon-inducible HIN-200 protein family and acts as a cytoplasmic DNA sensor that initiates inflammasome assembly (UniProt: O14862). While its primary biological role is in the innate immune response, AIM2 is overexpressed in several cancers, including melanoma, where it was first identified as a target for HLA-A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (PubMed: 11441107). The complex consists of a specific AIM2-derived peptide bound to the cleft of HLA-A*01 or HLA-A*02 molecules on the cell surface. This complex is recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of CD8+ T cells, making it a focal point for immunotherapeutic interventions like TCR-engineered T-cell therapy and peptide vaccines (PubMed: 21149646). Targeting this pMHC allows for the selective destruction of tumor cells while potentially sparing healthy tissues with low AIM2 expression.

Other names

AIM2 peptide-MHC complexAbsent in melanoma 2 antigenAIM2-pMHCHLA-A2-restricted AIM2 antigenHLA-A1-restricted AIM2 antigen

Recognition of the peptide-MHC complex by specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) on CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, leading to targeted cell lysis.