HIV-1 Rev peptide-MHC complex (HIV-1 Rev pMHC)

The HIV-1 Rev peptide-MHC complex is a molecular target consisting of a peptide fragment derived from the HIV-1 Regulator of Virion expression (Rev) protein bound to a Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecule. Rev is a critical regulatory protein that facilitates the nuclear export of unspliced and singly spliced viral mRNAs by binding to the Rev Response Element (RRE), making it essential for the HIV-1 life cycle (UniProt P04618). In infected cells, Rev is proteolytically processed into peptides that are presented on the cell surface by MHC Class I molecules for recognition by CD8+ T cells (PubMed: 28416514). This complex is a primary target for advanced immunotherapies, including TCR-engineered T cells and soluble TCR-bispecific molecules, which aim to identify and destroy HIV-infected cells, including those within the latent reservoir (PubMed: 30206129). By targeting an early-expressed and functionally vital viral protein, these therapies seek to achieve long-term viral control or eradication. However, therapeutic efficacy can be limited by viral mutational escape within the epitope and the requirement for specific HLA alleles in the patient population (PubMed: 25831547).

Other names

HIV-1 Rev antigenRev-derived peptide-HLA complexHIV-1 Rev-MHC class I complexRev-specific pMHC

Therapeutic T-cell receptors (TCRs) or TCR-engineered T cells recognize and bind specifically to the Rev-derived peptide presented by MHC Class I molecules on the surface of HIV-infected cells, triggering T-cell activation, the release of cytotoxic granules (perforin/granzyme), and cytokine production to eliminate the infected cell.