Cytomegalovirus pp65 (495-503) peptide-HLA-A*02:01 complex (CMV pp65(495-503)/HLA-A2)

The Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 (495-503) peptide-HLA-A*02:01 complex is a prominent immunological target consisting of the NLVPMVATV peptide derived from the CMV 65 kDa lower matrix phosphoprotein (pp65, also known as UL83) presented by the Class I Human Leukocyte Antigen A2 (UniProt: P06725). This specific peptide-MHC (pMHC) complex is the immunodominant epitope for CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HLA-A*02:01-positive individuals infected with CMV (Wills et al., 1996). While CMV remains latent in healthy individuals, it can cause severe disease in immunocompromised patients, and the pp65 protein is also found to be highly expressed in certain cancers, most notably glioblastoma multiforme (Mitchell et al., 2008). Therapeutic strategies targeting this complex include adoptive T-cell therapies, TCR-engineered T cells, and peptide-based vaccines designed to stimulate or provide a robust cellular immune response against CMV-infected or malignant cells (NCT02392572). These therapies rely on the high specificity of T-cell receptors to distinguish the viral peptide from self-antigens, though risks of cross-reactivity and immune-related adverse events remain significant considerations.

Other names

NLVPMVATV-HLA-A*02:01pp65(495-503) peptideUL83(495-503) epitopeCMV pp65-A2 complexNLV-A2CMV pp65(495-503)

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation and targeted lysis of the presenting cell.