Clonal neoantigen–major histocompatibility complex

The clonal neoantigen–major histocompatibility complex is a molecular complex formed when a neoantigen—a unique, tumor-specific mutated peptide expressed clonally by all tumor cells—is presented on the surface of the cell bound to an MHC molecule. This complex is recognized by T cells via their T cell receptors (TCRs), triggering an immune response that can specifically target and destroy cancer cells without affecting normal tissue. The clonal nature of the neoantigen ensures that the target is present across all tumor cells, making it highly attractive for immunotherapeutic strategies such as personalized cancer vaccines and adoptive T cell therapy. The immunogenicity of the clonal neoantigen–MHC complex depends on efficient peptide processing, MHC presentation, and TCR recognition. Key therapeutic challenges include variable neoantigen expression, tumor immune evasion, and the need for predictive identification of robust neoantigen–MHC targets for individual patients.

Other names

Clonal neoantigen–MHC complexClonal neoantigen–MHC peptide complexClonal neoantigen–MHCClonal neoantigen–peptide–MHC complex

Recognition by T cell receptor (TCR), leading to cytotoxic T cell activation and targeted killing of neoantigen-expressing tumor cells