Chronic lymphocytic leukemia-associated HLA class I-presented leukemic peptides

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-associated HLA class I-presented leukemic peptides are short amino acid sequences derived from the intracellular proteins of leukemic cells and displayed on the cell surface by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I molecules. These peptides constitute a significant portion of the CLL immunopeptidome and serve as specific targets for recognition by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Because CLL is characterized by a relatively low mutational burden, these non-mutated tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are essential for developing immunotherapies, such as therapeutic vaccines and TCR-based treatments. Drugs like the iTAC-XS15-CLL01 vaccine utilize a personalized "warehouse" of these peptides, tailored to a patient's specific HLA allotype, to stimulate a robust anti-leukemic immune response. This approach is particularly aimed at eliminating minimal residual disease (MRD) and preventing relapse in patients who have achieved partial remission following standard treatments like Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors.

Other names

CLL-associated HLA class I-presented tumor antigensCLL immunopeptidomeCLL-specific HLA ligandsCLL-associated HLA-I peptidesCLL-exclusive HLA class I peptides

Induction of peptide-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell responses that recognize and eliminate leukemic cells presenting these specific HLA-bound antigens.