Adenovirus penton protein peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex (AdV penton-MHC)

The Adenovirus penton protein peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a molecular assembly presented on the surface of cells infected by Adenoviruses. This complex is formed when the viral penton base protein, a major structural component of the adenovirus capsid, is proteolytically processed into short peptides that are subsequently loaded onto MHC Class I molecules within the endoplasmic reticulum (Leen et al., 2004, Blood). Once transported to the cell surface, these peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes act as specific ligands for the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, triggering an adaptive immune response to eliminate the infection (Feuchtinger et al., 2008, Blood). In clinical settings, these complexes are primary targets for adoptive cell therapies, such as virus-specific T cells (VSTs), which are used to treat life-threatening adenovirus infections in immunocompromised patients, particularly those following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allovir, 2023). Drugs like posoleucel utilize this mechanism by providing a pool of donor-derived T cells capable of recognizing these specific viral antigens across multiple HLA types. Monitoring the expression of specific HLA alleles and viral load serves as a critical biomarker for treatment eligibility and efficacy. Potential therapeutic challenges include the risk of graft-versus-host disease or viral immune evasion strategies that downregulate MHC expression on the cell surface.

Other names

Adenovirus penton base peptide-HLA complexAdV penton-HLA complexAdenovirus penton-MHC Class I complexpMHC complex (Adenovirus penton)

T-cell receptor-mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to cytotoxic lysis of the infected cell via perforin and granzyme release.