Human papillomavirus E7 peptide–Major Histocompatibility Complex (HPV E7-MHC)

The Human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 peptide–Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a primary target for immunotherapies directed against HPV-driven cancers, including cervical and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (National Cancer Institute, 2023). The E7 protein is a viral oncoprotein that drives oncogenesis by binding and degrading the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), leading to uncontrolled cell cycle progression (UniProt P03129). In infected or malignant cells, E7 is processed into peptides presented on the cell surface by MHC Class I molecules, particularly HLA-A*02:01 (PubMed: 26033537). This complex acts as a highly specific tumor-associated antigen because E7 is a foreign viral protein absent in healthy human tissue (Frontiers in Immunology, 2020). Therapeutic approaches include TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies and TCR-like antibodies designed to recognize the specific peptide-MHC ligand (Cue Biopharma, 2024). Because E7 expression is necessary for maintaining the malignant state, the E7-MHC complex is a stable target for precision oncology (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2017).

Other names

HPV E7-HLA complexE7-MHC Class I complexHPV16 E7(11-19)-HLA-A*02:01Human papillomavirus type 16 E7 peptide-MHCHPV E7-HLA-A2 complex

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition and subsequent lysis of cells presenting the viral E7 peptide.