Patient-specific neoantigen peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complex

A patient-specific neoantigen peptide–MHC complex is a cell surface molecular complex formed when a tumor-derived, mutation-generated peptide (neoantigen) is bound by a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule—Class I for presentation to cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and Class II for presentation to helper CD4+ T cells[1][3][4]. These neoantigens are unique to an individual's cancer and result from somatic mutations, gene fusions, or aberrant post-translational modifications. The complex is essential for immune recognition of tumors: only peptides fitting the patient's specific MHC alleles and carrying novel ("non-self") mutations can be displayed and recognized by T cells, making the patient-specific neoantigen–MHC complex a highly specific target for personalized cancer immunotherapies such as neoantigen vaccines and adoptive T cell transfer[1][2][3][4][5]. Accurately identifying and targeting these complexes enables therapies with highly individualized efficacy and reduced risk of off-tumor toxicity.

Other names

Neoantigen–MHC complexPatient-specific neoantigen–MHC complexNeoepitope–MHC complexTumor-specific neoantigen–MHC complex

Induction of cytotoxic T cell response (CD8+ T cells recognizing neoantigen–MHC-I complexes) Induction of helper T cell response (CD4+ T cells recognizing neoantigen–MHC-II complexes) Augmentation of tumor immune recognition and clearance