New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 peptide–Major Histocompatibility Complex (NY-ESO-1 pMHC) (NY-ESO-1 pMHC)

New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1), also known as Cancer/testis antigen 1B (CTAG1B), is a highly immunogenic protein typically expressed in the germ cells of the testis and various cancers, including synovial sarcoma and melanoma (UniProt P78358). The NY-ESO-1 peptide–MHC complex is formed when the protein is processed into peptides, such as the 157-165 decamer, and presented on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules, most frequently HLA-A*02:01 (PubMed: 25108347). This complex serves as a specific target for immunotherapies because normal somatic tissues do not express MHC class I in the testis, minimizing off-target effects. Therapeutic approaches targeting this complex include T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T-cell therapies, such as the FDA-approved Afamitresgene autoleucel, and bispecific T-cell engagers (ImmTACs) like IMC-C103C (FDA.gov, 2024). These drugs work by binding the specific peptide-MHC ligand to trigger T-cell mediated lysis of tumor cells.

Other names

CTAG1B peptide-MHCCancer/testis antigen 1B peptide-MHCNY-ESO-1/HLA-A2 complexLAGE-2 peptide-MHC

T-cell receptor (TCR) mediated recognition of the peptide-MHC complex leading to T-cell activation and directed lysis of tumor cells.