Hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptor (HBV-TCR)

The Hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptor (HBV-TCR) is a specialized receptor complex that mediates the recognition of HBV-derived antigenic peptides presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules (Tan et al., 2021). In the natural immune response, these receptors allow T cells to identify and destroy HBV-infected cells, but this function is often impaired in chronic hepatitis B due to T-cell exhaustion (Qasim et al., 2015). As a therapeutic target, HBV-TCRs are utilized in adoptive cell therapies, where a patient's T cells are engineered to express a high-affinity TCR specific to viral antigens like HBsAg or HBcAg (SCG Cell Therapy, 2023). These engineered TCR-T cells are designed to target both HBV-infected hepatocytes and HBV-integrated hepatocellular carcinoma cells, providing a potential cure for chronic infection and related malignancies (Lion TCR, 2022). The interaction between the TCR and the peptide-MHC complex on antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, or on target cells, triggers robust T-cell activation and cytotoxic activity (ClinicalTrials.gov, 2022). Safety considerations for these therapies include monitoring for cytokine release syndrome and potential off-target effects in the liver (Tan et al., 2021).

Other names

HBV-specific TCRHepatitis B virus-specific T-cell receptorTCR recognizing HBV peptide-HLA complexesHBsAg-specific T-cell receptorHBcAg-specific T-cell receptor

Engineered T-cells expressing the HBV-specific TCR recognize viral peptides presented by MHC molecules on infected or malignant cells, leading to T-cell activation and targeted destruction of the target cells.