HLA-A*02:01-restricted Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2 peptide complex (HLA-A*02:01/LMP2)

The HLA-A*02:01-restricted Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2) peptide complex is a specific molecular target presented on the surface of cells harboring EBV, particularly in EBV-associated malignancies. LMP2 is a viral protein that plays a crucial role in maintaining EBV latency and is consistently expressed in cancers such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and certain gastric cancers (Lin et al., 2017, Blood). In individuals carrying the HLA-A*02:01 allele, the cellular machinery processes LMP2 into specific peptides, such as the immunodominant CLGGLLTMV epitope, which are then displayed by the MHC class I molecule (Smith et al., 2012, Cancer Research). This peptide-MHC complex serves as a highly specific ligand for T-cell receptors (TCRs) on CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Therapeutic interventions, such as TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies and TCR-like antibodies, are designed to recognize this complex to selectively eliminate malignant cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue (Cho et al., 2018, Frontiers in Immunology). The viral nature of the peptide provides a significant advantage in terms of specificity, although therapeutic efficacy can be limited by tumor-mediated immune evasion strategies like HLA downregulation (Gottschalk et al., 2003, JEM).

Other names

EBV LMP2:HLA-A*02:01HLA-A2/LMP2 complexLMP2-derived peptide-HLA-A*02:01 complexCLGGLLTMV:HLA-A*02:01HLA-A*02:01-restricted LMP2 epitope

Recognition and binding by the T-cell receptor (TCR) of cytotoxic T cells, leading to the formation of an immunological synapse and subsequent granzyme/perforin-mediated lysis of the target cell.