Melanoma-associated antigen recognized by T cells 1 epitope 26-35 presented by HLA-A*0201 (MART-1(26-35)/HLA-A*0201)

The MART-1 epitope 26-35 presented by HLA-A*0201 is a specific peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) that serves as a critical target for cancer immunotherapy, particularly in melanoma [1, 2]. MART-1 (Melanoma-associated antigen recognized by T cells 1), also known as Melan-A, is a lineage-specific differentiation protein primarily expressed in melanocytes and melanoma cells [1]. The decamer peptide sequence EAAGIGILTV (residues 26-35) is the immunodominant epitope of MART-1 when presented by the HLA-A*0201 allele, which is highly prevalent in Caucasian populations [3]. This complex is recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, triggering an immune response against cells displaying the antigen [2, 3]. Therapeutic interventions targeting this pMHC include TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies and peptide vaccines designed to enhance the body's ability to eliminate melanoma cells [4]. However, because MART-1 is also expressed in healthy melanocytes, these therapies can lead to on-target, off-tumor toxicities affecting the skin, eyes, and ears [4].

Other names

Melan-A (26-35)/HLA-A*0201EAAGIGILTV/HLA-A*0201MART-1 peptide-MHC complexMelanoma-associated antigen recognized by T cells 1 (26-35) presented by HLA-A2

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation and tumor cell lysis.