Human papillomavirus type 16 E7-specific T cell receptor (HPV16 E7 TCR) (HPV16 E7 TCR)

The Human papillomavirus type 16 E7-specific T cell receptor (HPV16 E7 TCR) is a specialized immune receptor utilized in adoptive T-cell therapies to target cancers driven by high-risk HPV16 infection. The E7 oncoprotein is a critical driver of viral oncogenesis, as it binds and inactivates the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein, leading to uncontrolled cell cycle progression (PubMed: 26351325). Because E7 is a foreign viral protein constitutively expressed in malignant cells but absent in healthy human tissue, it represents an ideal target for immunotherapy. TCR-T cell therapies involve engineering a patient's CD8+ T cells to express a high-affinity TCR specific for E7 peptides, most notably the E7:11-19 epitope presented by HLA-A*02:01 (PubMed: 30104351). Once infused, these engineered T cells recognize the peptide-MHC complex on tumor surfaces, triggering a cytotoxic immune response that includes the release of perforin, granzymes, and pro-inflammatory cytokines to induce apoptosis in the target cancer cells (NIH: NCT02858310). This approach offers a precision medicine strategy for patients with refractory HPV-associated squamous cell carcinomas.

Other names

HPV16 E7-specific TCRE7-targeted T cell receptorHPV-16 E7 TCRE7-reactive T cell receptor

Adoptive cell transfer of T cells engineered to express a high-affinity T cell receptor (TCR) that recognizes HPV16 E7 oncoprotein peptides presented by specific Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules, leading to targeted lysis of HPV-infected malignant cells.