Human leukocyte antigen A*02:01-restricted Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 peptide-MHC class I complex (HLA-A*02:01/HPV-16 E6/E7 pMHC)

The Human leukocyte antigen A*02:01-restricted Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E6 and E7 peptide-MHC class I complex is a specialized immunological target found on the surface of HPV-16-driven tumor cells. HPV-16 is a high-risk virus responsible for the majority of cervical cancers and a significant portion of oropharyngeal, anal, and vulvar malignancies. In these cancers, the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are constitutively expressed and are essential for maintaining the malignant state by degrading tumor suppressors like p53 and pRb. These proteins are processed into specific immunogenic peptides, such as E7 (11-19) or E6 (29-38), and presented on the cell surface by the HLA-A*02:01 or A*02:02 alleles. Because these viral antigens are entirely foreign to the human proteome, they provide an ideal target for precision immunotherapy with minimal risk of attacking healthy tissues. Therapeutic strategies targeting these complexes include T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies and bispecific T-cell engagers designed to recognize these specific pMHC complexes and trigger a potent cytotoxic immune response against the tumor.

Other names

HPV-16 E6/E7-HLA-A*02:01 complexHLA-A2/HPV16 E6/E7HPV-16 E6/E7 pMHCHLA-A*02:01/E6 complexHLA-A*02:01/E7 complexHLA-A*02:01/02-restricted HPV-16 E6/E7

T-cell receptor-mediated recognition of peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation and tumor cell lysis