New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) peptide-MHC class II complex (NY-ESO-1/MHC-II)

NY-ESO-1 (New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1) is a prominent cancer-testis antigen (CTA) encoded by the CTAG1B gene, characterized by its restricted expression in the testis and its aberrant expression in various cancers such as melanoma and synovial sarcoma (UniProt P12101). The NY-ESO-1 peptide-MHC class II complex forms when intracellular NY-ESO-1 proteins are processed into peptides and presented on the cell surface by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class II molecules, particularly HLA-DPB1*04:01 (PubMed: 15150101). This complex is a vital target for immunotherapy because it allows for the engagement of CD4+ T cells, which play a central role in orchestrating the anti-tumor immune response and can exert direct cytotoxic effects (PubMed: 28223443). Therapeutic strategies targeting this complex include TCR-engineered T-cell therapies (TCR-T) and cancer vaccines designed to elicit a robust, specific immune attack against NY-ESO-1-positive tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03017131). Because NY-ESO-1 is not expressed in normal somatic tissues, targeting this complex minimizes the risk of systemic toxicity, making it a high-priority candidate for precision oncology.

Other names

NY-ESO-1/HLA-DPB1*04 complexCTAG1B peptide-MHC class II complexNY-ESO-1/HLA-DR complexCancer-testis antigen 1B peptide-MHC II complex

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex, inducing T-cell activation and anti-tumor effector functions.