Neoantigen peptide presented by human leukocyte antigen molecule

A **neoantigen peptide presented by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules** is a short peptide derived from tumor-specific mutations, which is displayed on the cell surface in complex with HLA class I or II proteins. The complex is recognized by T cell receptors (TCRs), activating T cells and enabling discrimination of tumor cells from normal cells. Since these peptides are unique to tumor cells (mutation-specific), they are promising therapeutic targets for individualized cancer immunotherapies—including personalized vaccines, adoptive cell therapies, and strategies to enhance immune recognition. Accurate identification of these complexes relies on genomic, transcriptomic, and immunopeptidomic methodologies to link somatic mutations with naturally processed and presented peptides, with HLA-binding predictions or mass spectrometry-based validation. The presence, abundance, and immunogenicity of pHLA neoantigen complexes strongly correlate with clinical outcome and therapy response in cancer immunotherapy.

Other names

Neoantigen-HLA complexpeptide-HLA complexHLA-presented neoantigentumor neoantigen (when presented by HLA)peptide–HLA (pHLA) complex

Stimulation of tumor-specific T cell response via recognition of the mutant peptide within the HLA groove by patient T cell receptors (TCRs)\nT cell-mediated cytotoxicity directed against cells presenting the neoantigen-HLA complex\nInduction of CD8+ cytotoxic and CD4+ helper T cell responses when presented by HLA class I and II, respectively