T-cell receptor alpha-beta (TCRαβ) (TCRαβ)

The T-cell receptor alpha-beta (TCRαβ) is a heterodimeric protein complex found on the surface of approximately 95% of peripheral T cells, where it serves as the primary mediator of antigen recognition (UniProt P01848, P01850). It consists of an alpha (α) and a beta (β) chain, which together recognize processed peptide antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the surface of antigen-presenting cells or target cells (Smith-Garvin et al., 2009). This recognition event, facilitated by the associated CD3 signaling complex, triggers T-cell activation, proliferation, and the execution of immune effector functions. In oncology, TCRαβ is a critical target for adoptive cell therapies, such as TCR-engineered T cells (TCR-T), which are designed to recognize specific tumor-associated antigens like NY-ESO-1 or MAGE-A4 in an HLA-restricted manner (Chandran & Klebanoff, 2019). Beyond cancer, the TCR is a target for immunosuppressive therapies in autoimmunity and transplantation to prevent unwanted T-cell-mediated tissue damage (Bluestone et al., 2006). Key therapeutic challenges include the risk of cytokine release syndrome and potential cross-reactivity with self-antigens in healthy tissues, as seen in clinical trials of high-affinity TCRs (Linette et al., 2013).

Other names

T-cell antigen receptor alpha-betaAlpha-beta T-cell receptorTCR alpha/beta complexTCRab

Antigen-specific T-cell activation and redirection via binding to specific peptide-MHC complexes or the associated CD3 signaling subunits.