Human papillomavirus type 16 E6 oncoprotein-derived peptide epitopes (HPV16 E6 epitopes)

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6 oncoprotein-derived peptide epitopes are specific amino acid sequences used as therapeutic targets to induce immune-mediated destruction of HPV-infected cells (UniProt P03126). The E6 protein is a primary driver of oncogenesis, functioning by inducing the degradation of the p53 tumor suppressor, which prevents apoptosis and promotes genomic instability (PubMed: 26351224). Because E6 expression is essential for the maintenance of the malignant phenotype in HPV-associated cancers, its derived peptides are utilized in therapeutic vaccines like ISA101 and PDS0101 to stimulate CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses (PubMed: 32433938). Additionally, specific epitopes such as E6 29-38 are targeted by engineered T-cell receptor (TCR-T) therapies to provide a precise attack on tumor cells (PubMed: 31110041). These epitopes are critical for treating cervical and oropharyngeal cancers, where they serve as tumor-specific antigens that are not expressed in normal tissues. The therapeutic challenge lies in overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and ensuring broad HLA coverage across diverse patient populations.

Other names

HPV16 E6 peptidesHPV16 E6 T-cell epitopesHuman papillomavirus 16 E6 antigenHPV16 E6-derived HLA ligands

Induction of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses to recognize and eliminate HPV16-infected or transformed cells expressing the E6 oncoprotein.