Mouse MHC Class I H-2Kb presenting Tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) peptide (H-2Kb/TRP-2)

The H-2Kb presenting TRP-2 peptide complex is a primary immunological target in murine melanoma models, particularly the B16 cell line (Bloom et al., 1997, J Exp Med). It consists of the mouse MHC Class I molecule H-2Kb (UniProt P01899) bound to a specific 9-amino acid epitope (SVYDFFVWL) derived from Tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), also known as Dopachrome tautomerase (UniProt P29144). TRP-2 is an enzyme involved in melanin biosynthesis and is highly expressed in both normal melanocytes and melanoma cells. This peptide-MHC complex is recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, making it a focal point for developing cancer immunotherapies such as peptide vaccines and TCR-engineered T-cell therapies. Because TRP-2 is a self-antigen, targeting this complex often requires overcoming peripheral tolerance and can result in autoimmune side effects like vitiligo. In preclinical research, this target is essential for evaluating the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and novel vaccine platforms. The complex serves as a surrogate for human tyrosinase-related antigen targeting in translational studies.

Other names

H-2Kb/DCT180-188H-2Kb/TRP-2(180-188)MHC-peptide complex H-2Kb/TRP-2H2-Kb/Dct complexpMHC H-2Kb:SVYDFFVWL

The complex acts as a ligand for specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) on CD8+ T cells, triggering signal transduction that leads to the release of perforins and granzymes, ultimately causing apoptosis of the antigen-presenting cell (Bloom et al., 1997, J Exp Med).