Hepatitis C virus-specific CD8+ T cell receptor (HCV-specific TCR)

Hepatitis C virus-specific CD8+ T cell receptors (TCRs) are specialized heterodimeric proteins located on the surface of cytotoxic T lymphocytes that play a pivotal role in identifying and eliminating cells infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). These receptors recognize specific viral peptide fragments, such as those from the NS3 or NS5B proteins, which are presented on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class I molecules, most commonly HLA-A*02:01 (Wedemeyer et al., 2002, J. Immunol). Upon successful binding, the TCR triggers a signaling cascade that results in the release of cytotoxic molecules like granzymes and perforins, as well as antiviral cytokines such as interferon-gamma, to clear the infection (Neumann-Haefelin et al., 2005, Hepatology). In chronic HCV cases, the virus often evades this immune pressure through the selection of escape mutations within the targeted epitopes or by inducing T-cell exhaustion (Klenerman & Hill, 2005, Nat Rev Immunol). To counteract this, researchers are developing TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies, which involve modifying a patient's T cells to express high-affinity HCV-specific TCRs to treat chronic infection and HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (Pasetto et al., 2017, Gastroenterology). This therapeutic approach aims to provide a precise and potent immune response capable of overcoming the limitations of the endogenous T-cell repertoire (Sautto et al., 2016, World J Gastroenterol).

Other names

HCV-specific T-cell receptorCD8+ T-cell receptor recognizing HCV peptidesHepatitis C virus-specific TCRHCV-specific CTL receptor

Recognition of specific HCV-derived peptides (e.g., NS3 1073-1081) presented by HLA-A*02:01 molecules, leading to T-cell activation and targeted destruction of infected hepatocytes.