MHC-presented Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 epitope (BZLF1 epitope)

BZLF1, also known as Zta or ZEBRA, is a crucial immediate-early protein of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that functions as a molecular switch to trigger the transition from viral latency to the lytic cycle (UniProt P03206). It acts as a bZIP transcription factor, binding to viral promoters to initiate the expression of early genes required for viral DNA replication (PubMed: 25673711). The MHC-presented BZLF1 epitope refers to specific peptide fragments of this protein that are processed and displayed on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. These peptide-MHC complexes are primary targets for the host's cellular immune system, particularly CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, which recognize them via specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) (PubMed: 15141005). In clinical settings, these epitopes are exploited as therapeutic targets for EBV-associated malignancies, such as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (EMA: Ebvallo Summary of Product Characteristics). Therapeutic interventions include adoptive T-cell therapies, such as tabelecleucel, and experimental TCR-engineered T cells designed to selectively identify and eliminate cells expressing these viral antigens (Atara Biotherapeutics).

Other names

ZEBRA epitopeZta epitopeEB1 epitopeEBV BZLF1 peptide-HLA complexBZLF1 antigenRAKFKQLL peptide

Targeting of EBV-infected cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes through T-cell receptor (TCR) recognition of the MHC-peptide complex, leading to cell lysis.