BK virus Large T antigen and VP1 peptide-HLA complexes (BKV LTAg/VP1 pHLA)

BK virus (BKV) Large T antigen (LTAg) and VP1 are the primary immunodominant proteins of the BK polyomavirus, which is a significant pathogen in immunocompromised transplant recipients (Source: PubMed, PMID: 28637777). Peptides derived from these proteins are processed and presented on the cell surface by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules, forming peptide-HLA (pHLA) complexes that are recognized by the cellular immune system (Source: UniProt, P03070). These complexes serve as the specific targets for BKV-specific T-cell therapies, which aim to restore viral immunity and prevent diseases such as BKV-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) and hemorrhagic cystitis (Source: NIH, NCT04312997). Therapeutic approaches include the adoptive transfer of multivirus-specific T cells or the engineering of T cells with high-affinity TCRs specific for BKV epitopes like LTAg or VP1 (Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2017). By specifically targeting these pHLA complexes, the immune system can selectively eliminate cells undergoing active viral replication while sparing healthy tissue. The efficacy of these treatments depends on the correct matching of the HLA restriction element and the specific viral peptide presented (Source: PubMed, PMID: 31209022). Monitoring BKV viral load and the frequency of BKV-specific T cells are essential for managing patients at risk of BKV-related complications.

Other names

BKV peptide-MHC complexesBK polyomavirus LTAg and VP1 epitopesBKV-specific T-cell targetsBKV LTA/VP1 pHLABKV-specific peptide-HLA complexes

Recognition of the specific viral peptide-HLA complex by the T-cell receptor (TCR) on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which triggers the release of cytotoxic granules (perforin and granzymes) to induce apoptosis in BKV-infected cells (Source: PubMed, PMID: 31209022).