Human leukocyte antigen class I histocompatibility antigen, A-2 alpha chain (HLA-A*02:01)

HLA-A*02:01 is a specific allele variant within the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, encoding a major histocompatibility complex class I molecule found on chromosome 6. It forms part of the transmembrane glycoproteins present on all nucleated cells and plays an essential role in presenting endogenous peptides—including viral, tumor-derived, or self-peptides—to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This process enables immune surveillance against infected or transformed cells while maintaining tolerance toward normal tissues through negative selection mechanisms during thymic development. The prevalence and well-characterized nature of HLA-A*02:01 make it one of the most studied alleles for immunological research and therapeutic applications such as cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development.

Other names

HLA-A*02:01HLA-A2.1HLA-A2 (serotype group)MHC class I A*02:01Human leukocyte antigen A2.1

Drugs or biologics that utilize this target act by presenting specific peptides on the cell surface via HLA-A*02:01 to activate cytotoxic CD8+ T cells against infected or malignant cells expressing those peptides.