Prostate-specific antigen peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I complex (PSA-MHC I)

The Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) peptide-Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I (MHC I) complex is a specialized immunological target used to direct the cellular immune system against prostate cancer. PSA, also known as Kallikrein-3 (KLK3), is a serine protease primarily produced by the epithelial cells of the prostate gland and is significantly overexpressed in prostate adenocarcinoma (UniProt P07288). Within the tumor cell, PSA is processed into short peptides that are loaded onto MHC Class I molecules and presented on the cell surface for recognition by the T-cell receptor (TCR) of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This specific peptide-MHC (pMHC) complex serves as the foundation for various immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines like PROSTVAC and adoptive cell therapies such as TCR-engineered T cells (TCR-T). By focusing on the PSA-MHC I complex, these therapies aim to exploit the restricted expression pattern of PSA to selectively eliminate malignant cells. However, therapeutic efficacy can be challenged by the heterogeneity of PSA expression and the potential for inflammatory damage to healthy prostate tissue.

Other names

KLK3-MHC I complexPSA-HLA-A*02:01 complexProstate-specific antigen-HLA complexKallikrein-3 peptide-MHC complexPSA-MHC Class I

Induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell mediated cytotoxicity against cells presenting PSA-derived peptides in the context of MHC Class I molecules.