N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V-specific T-cell receptor (NA17-TCR)

The N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V-specific T-cell receptor (NA17-TCR) is an engineered or naturally occurring immune receptor designed to target the NA17-A antigen, a highly specific melanoma-associated peptide. The NA17-A antigen (sequence VLPDVFIRC) is unique because it is encoded by an intronic sequence of the MGAT5 gene, which normally produces the GnT-V enzyme (Guilloux et al., 1996, Journal of Experimental Medicine). This peptide is presented to the immune system via the HLA-A*0201 molecule, making it a specific target for CD8+ T-cell mediated immunotherapy. In clinical applications, patient T cells are modified to express this TCR, allowing them to selectively identify and lyse melanoma cells while sparing most normal tissues. The therapeutic use of NA17-TCRs represents a form of adoptive cell transfer (TCR-T therapy) designed to overcome the limitations of the endogenous immune response against cancer. However, challenges such as potential off-target effects and the requirement for specific HLA matching remain critical considerations in its clinical development.

Other names

NA17-specific T-cell receptorGnT-V-specific TCRNA17-A-specific TCRMGAT5-specific T-cell receptorNA17-specific CD8+ T-cell receptor

The TCR recognizes the NA17-A peptide (VLPDVFIRC), which is derived from an intronic sequence of the MGAT5 gene and presented by the HLA-A*0201 major histocompatibility complex, triggering T-cell activation and subsequent lysis of the target tumor cell.