Human papillomavirus type 16 E7 peptide-MHC class I complex (HPV-16 E7/MHC-I)

The Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E7 peptide-MHC class I complex is a tumor-specific antigen target primarily utilized in the treatment of HPV-driven malignancies such as cervical and oropharyngeal cancers (Nagarsheth et al., 2021, J Clin Invest). The E7 protein is a viral oncoprotein essential for the maintenance of the malignant phenotype, acting by inactivating the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein (Dyer et al., 2017, Nature Communications). In tumor cells, E7 is processed into peptides, such as the immunodominant E7(11-20) epitope, which are presented on the cell surface by MHC class I molecules, most frequently HLA-A*02:01 (Jin et al., 2018, JCI Insight). This complex is an ideal therapeutic target because it is expressed exclusively by infected or transformed cells and not by normal tissues, minimizing the risk of off-target toxicity (Draper et al., 2020, Clin Cancer Res). Current therapeutic approaches include TCR-engineered T-cell therapies (TCR-T), which utilize high-affinity T-cell receptors to recognize the complex, and therapeutic vaccines designed to elicit endogenous T-cell responses against these specific epitopes (PDS Biotechnology, 2023; Hookipa Pharma, 2023). Clinical trials have demonstrated that targeting this complex can lead to significant regression of metastatic HPV-16-positive cancers (Nagarsheth et al., 2021).

Other names

HPV16 E7 peptide-HLA complexHLA-A*02:01-restricted HPV-16 E7 epitopeHPV-16 E7 oncoprotein-derived peptideE7(11-20) peptide-MHC complex

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition and subsequent cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activation against cells presenting the viral epitope (Nagarsheth et al., 2021).