Cytomegalovirus-derived peptide–Human Leukocyte Antigen class I complex (CMV-pHLA-I)

Cytomegalovirus-derived peptide–Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I complexes are molecular assemblies formed when intracellular CMV proteins, such as pp65 (UL83) or IE1 (UL123), are processed into short peptides and loaded onto HLA class I molecules (Source: PubMed, PMID: 31435312). These complexes are then transported to the cell surface, where they serve as the primary ligands for the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (Source: UniProt, P06725). This interaction is fundamental to the host's ability to detect and eliminate CMV-infected cells, maintaining the virus in a latent state in healthy individuals. In clinical settings, particularly among hematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplant recipients, these complexes are targeted to prevent or treat CMV reactivation, which can lead to severe organ damage (Source: NIH, StatPearls). Therapeutic approaches include the adoptive transfer of donor-derived CMV-specific T cells and the development of TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies that specifically recognize these viral pMHC complexes (Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02396134). Additionally, peptide-based vaccines utilize these complexes to prime the immune system, aiming to establish long-term protective immunity against CMV-related pathologies (Source: PubMed, PMID: 27535983).

Other names

CMV-pMHC complexHCMV peptide-HLA class I complexCMV-specific peptide-MHCpp65-HLA-A*02:01 complexIE1-HLA-A*02:01 complex