Epstein-Barr virus latent and lytic protein-derived peptide-HLA complexes (EBV peptide-HLA complexes)

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent and lytic protein-derived peptide-HLA complexes are molecular assemblies on the surface of infected cells that signal the presence of the virus to the host immune system. These complexes consist of short viral peptides, derived from proteins such as EBNA1, LMP1, LMP2 (latent phase) or BZLF1 (lytic phase), bound within the groove of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules (Taylor et al., 2015, Nat Rev Immunol). EBV is associated with approximately 1.5% of all human cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma and various lymphomas, where these complexes serve as vital targets for immunotherapy (Young et al., 2016, Nat Rev Cancer). Therapeutic strategies like tabelecleucel (Ebvallo) and experimental TCR-T cell therapies specifically recognize these complexes to induce the lysis of EBV-positive malignant cells (Prockop et al., 2020, J Clin Oncol). The effectiveness of these treatments depends heavily on the patient's HLA type and the specific viral antigens expressed by the tumor. Consequently, these complexes are central to the development of precision vaccines and adoptive cell transfer protocols aimed at controlling EBV-related diseases and associated autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis (Bjornevik et al., 2022, Science).

Other names

EBV pMHCEBV peptide-MHC complexesEpstein-Barr virus antigen-HLA complexesEBV-specific pHLAEBV-derived peptide-HLA complexes

Therapeutic agents, such as EBV-specific T-cells or TCR-engineered cells, recognize specific viral peptides presented by HLA molecules on the surface of infected or malignant cells, triggering targeted cell lysis via the release of perforins and granzymes (Hislop et al., 2007, Annu Rev Immunol).