Nanog homeobox-derived peptide antigens (NANOG peptides)

Nanog homeobox (NANOG) is a core transcription factor essential for maintaining the undifferentiated state and self-renewal capacity of embryonic stem cells (UniProt Q9H9S0) [1]. In many human cancers, NANOG is aberrantly expressed in a subpopulation known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to tumor progression, chemoresistance, and relapse (Jeter et al., 2015) [2]. Nanog-derived peptide antigens are short amino acid sequences from the NANOG protein that are processed and presented on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules (Sawada et al., 2012) [3]. These peptides serve as specific targets for the immune system, allowing for the development of immunotherapies such as peptide-based vaccines and T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cells (NCT02529072) [4]. By targeting these antigens, therapies aim to selectively eliminate CSCs, which are often resistant to standard chemotherapy and radiation, thereby preventing tumor recurrence and improving long-term patient outcomes [3, 5]. Clinical development has focused on multi-antigen vaccines like StemVac to broaden the immune response against various CSC markers simultaneously [4]. Sources: [1] UniProt Consortium, Q9H9S0; [2] Jeter et al., Stem Cells, 2015; [3] Sawada et al., Clinical Cancer Research, 2012; [4] ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02529072; [5] Noh et al., Oncotarget, 2012.

Other names

Nanog-derived epitopesNANOG-specific peptidesCancer stem cell-associated antigensNANOG MHC-restricted peptides

Induction of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response that specifically targets and lyses cells presenting Nanog-derived peptides on their MHC Class I molecules, primarily targeting cancer stem cells.