Lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus K (LY6K) (LY6K)

Lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus K (LY6K) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein and a member of the Ly-6/uPAR superfamily (UniProt Q9BYG4). It is classified as a cancer-testis antigen (CTA), characterized by high expression in various malignancies—including lung, esophageal, and breast cancers—while remaining largely absent in normal adult tissues except for the testis (Ishikawa et al., 2007). In patients carrying the HLA-A*2402 allele, specific LY6K-derived peptides, most notably the 10-mer LY6K-177 (RYCNLEGPPI), are processed and presented on the surface of tumor cells by the MHC Class I molecule (Suda et al., 2007). These peptide-MHC complexes serve as specific targets for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), making them attractive candidates for cancer immunotherapy, including peptide vaccines and T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies (Kono et al., 2009). Targeting this complex aims to induce a robust anti-tumor immune response while minimizing off-target effects due to the restricted expression profile of the antigen. This approach is particularly significant in populations with a high prevalence of the HLA-A*2402 allele, such as in East Asia.

Other names

LY6KCancer/testis antigen 97CT97CO16Lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus K

Induction of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that recognize the LY6K peptide presented by HLA-A*2402, leading to the targeted destruction of tumor cells.