Major histocompatibility complex class II molecules presenting VP1-derived peptides (MHC II-VP1)

Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) molecules presenting VP1-derived peptides are specialized protein complexes on the surface of antigen-presenting cells that display fragments of the viral capsid protein VP1 to CD4+ T helper cells. This interaction is a cornerstone of the adaptive immune response against viruses such as the JC polyomavirus (JCV) and enteroviruses. In JCV infection, the HLA-DR-mediated presentation of VP1 peptides is vital for preventing the virus from causing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a severe brain infection typically seen in immunosuppressed individuals (Sospedra et al., 2005). In the field of autoimmunity, particularly Type 1 diabetes, the presentation of VP1 peptides from enteroviruses by HLA-DQ8 or HLA-DR4 molecules is implicated in the loss of self-tolerance and the subsequent destruction of insulin-producing beta cells through molecular mimicry (Kent et al., 2005). Therapeutic interventions focusing on this target include adoptive T-cell therapies, which utilize ex vivo expanded VP1-specific T cells to treat PML, and vaccine candidates aimed at eliciting protective T-cell responses (Muftuoglu et al., 2018). Additionally, immunomodulators like Efineptakin alfa are being explored to enhance the endogenous T-cell response against these complexes in patients with viral-induced diseases (Kim et al., 2022).

Other names

HLA class II-VP1 complexMHC II-VP1 peptide complexHLA-DR-VP1 complexHLA-DQ-VP1 complexpMHC II (VP1)Major histocompatibility complex class II-VP1 peptide complex