Melanoma-associated antigen 4 peptide presented by HLA-A*02:01 (MAGEA4 peptide-HLA-A*02:01 complex)

The Melanoma-associated antigen 4 (MAGE-A4) peptide presented by HLA-A*02:01 is a tumor-specific peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I complex uniquely found on the surface of tumor cells that express MAGE-A4 and carry the HLA-A*02:01 allele[1][3]. MAGE-A4 peptides such as GVYDGREHTV are naturally processed and loaded onto HLA-A*02:01 molecules, enabling recognition by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and engineered immune therapies[1][2][3]. Therapeutic approaches including TCR-modified T cells (e.g., afami-cel) and TCR-like antibodies leverage this specific peptide–MHC complex as a highly selective immunotherapy target in several cancer types[3][4]. The combination of tumor-restricted peptide presentation and HLA specificity confers high selectivity but also requires careful patient selection and HLA typing for safety and efficacy[3][4]. The presence and abundance of this peptide–HLA complex on tumors serve as both a therapeutic target and a biomarker for patient eligibility and monitoring of treatment response.

Other names

MAGE-A4 peptide-HLA-A*0201 complexHLA-A*0201:MAGE-A4MAGEA4/HLA-A*02:01HLA-A2/MAGE-A4

T cell recognition of MAGE-A4 peptide presented on HLA-A*02:01, resulting in cytotoxic T cell activation and tumor cell lysis Recruitment and activation of T cells by bispecific antibodies or engineered TCRs targeting the peptide–MHC complex