New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1-derived peptide presented on Human Leukocyte Antigen class I (NY-ESO-1/HLA class I)

NY-ESO-1 (New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1) is a prominent cancer-testis antigen encoded by the CTAG1B gene, characterized by its restricted expression in the immune-privileged germ cells of the testis and its aberrant re-expression in various malignancies (1.3.1, 1.4.5). Intracellular NY-ESO-1 proteins are degraded by the proteasome into short peptides, such as the immunodominant SLLMWITQC epitope, which are then presented on the cell surface by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I molecules, most frequently HLA-A*02:01 (1.1.2, 1.4.2). This peptide-MHC complex serves as a highly specific target for the immune system, as it is absent from normal somatic tissues but present on the surface of tumor cells in cancers like synovial sarcoma and melanoma (1.1.1, 1.2.2). Therapeutic strategies targeting this complex include T-cell receptor-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies and peptide vaccines, which aim to redirect cytotoxic T lymphocytes to recognize and eliminate cancer cells (1.1.4, 1.5.3). Because the target is a processed intracellular fragment, it allows the immune system to detect internal cellular transformations that are otherwise invisible to traditional antibody-based therapies (1.1.1, 1.5.1).

Other names

NY-ESO-1 peptide-MHC complexNY-ESO-1/HLA-A*02:01 complexSLLMWITQC-HLA-A*02:01CTAG1B/HLA complexCancer/testis antigen 1B peptide-HLA complex

T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation, cytokine release, and targeted cytotoxic lysis of antigen-expressing tumor cells.