Cancer-testis antigen 83 (CT83) ALIVFWKYR epitope presented by HLA-A*11:01

The Cancer-testis antigen 83 (CT83) ALIVFWKYR epitope presented by HLA-A*11:01 is a peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) target utilized in the development of cancer immunotherapies. CT83, also known as Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen 1 (KK-LC-1), belongs to the cancer-testis antigen family, which is characterized by high expression in various solid tumors—such as non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer—while remaining restricted to the testis in healthy individuals (Li et al., 2022; Fukuyama et al., 2006). The specific 9-mer epitope ALIVFWKYR (residues 14-22) is processed intracellularly and presented on the cell surface by the HLA-A*11:01 molecule, an allele frequently found in East Asian populations (Li et al., 2022). This pMHC complex serves as a highly specific target for T-cell receptor-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies, which use synthetic TCRs to recognize the complex and trigger a cytotoxic immune response against the tumor (Li et al., 2022). Experimental therapies, such as TCR1-engineered T cells, have shown significant anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models by specifically targeting this epitope (Li et al., 2022). Because of its tumor-restricted expression pattern, targeting this complex offers a potential therapeutic window with minimal on-target off-tumor toxicity in non-germline tissues.

Other names

KK-LC-1 AL epitopeCT83(14-22) epitopeALIVFWKYR-HLA-A*11:01 complexKita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen 1 AL epitopeCT83 AL epitope

T-cell receptor-mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation and cytotoxic lysis of the target cell