Adenovirus peptide–HLA class I complex (AdV peptide–HLA-I)

Adenovirus peptide–HLA class I complexes are molecular assemblies presented on the surface of cells infected with human adenovirus (AdV). These complexes consist of a viral peptide, often derived from the highly conserved Hexon protein, non-covalently bound to a Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I molecule (Papadopoulou et al., 2014). Their primary biological role is to facilitate the recognition of infected cells by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) through the T-cell receptor (TCR), which is essential for the control of viral replication (Leen et al., 2006). In immunocompromised individuals, such as hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, the absence of a robust T-cell response against these complexes can lead to disseminated and potentially fatal adenovirus disease (Feuchtinger et al., 2005). Consequently, these complexes are the primary targets for adoptive immunotherapies, including multivirus-specific T-cells like Posoleucel, which are engineered or selected to recognize specific AdV-HLA combinations (AlloVir, 2023). Therapeutic efficacy depends on the match between the patient's HLA alleles and the TCR specificity of the administered T-cells. Challenges in targeting these complexes include the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and the potential for the virus to evade detection by downregulating MHC class I expression on the cell surface (Appelbaum et al., 2021).

Other names

Adenoviral antigen–MHC class I complexAdV-HLA-I complexAdenovirus-specific peptide-MHCAdenovirus peptide-MHC class I complex

Targeting of the complex by the T-cell receptor (TCR) of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, leading to the release of perforin and granzymes, and subsequent apoptosis of the infected cell (Papadopoulou et al., 2014).