Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) peptide 540-548 presented by HLA-A*02:01 (TERT540/HLA-A*02:01)

The TERT540/HLA-A*02:01 peptide-HLA complex is a specific molecular target used in cancer immunotherapy, consisting of a 9-amino acid fragment (ILAKFLHWL) from the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) protein bound to the HLA-A*02:01 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule (Vonderheide et al., 1999, Immunity). TERT is a "universal" tumor-associated antigen because it is overexpressed in approximately 85-90% of all human cancers to maintain telomere length and replicative immortality, while its expression is highly restricted in most normal adult tissues (Minev et al., 2000, Cancer Research). This specific peptide-MHC complex is recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, making it a focal point for the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines and TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies (Parkhurst et al., 2004, Clinical Cancer Research). By targeting this complex, the immune system can be directed to selectively identify and eliminate malignant cells that present the TERT540 epitope on their surface. Clinical applications often require patients to be HLA-A*02:01 positive, ensuring the peptide can be correctly presented for immune recognition. While TERT is expressed in some healthy stem cells, clinical studies of the TERT540 peptide have generally demonstrated a favorable safety profile with minimal toxicity to normal tissues (Vonderheide et al., 2004, Clinical Cancer Research).

Other names

hTERT 540-548/HLA-A*02:01ILAKFLHWL/HLA-A*02:01TERT-540 peptide-MHC complexHuman telomerase reverse transcriptase 540-548 epitope

Induction of peptide-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) that recognize and lyse TERT-expressing tumor cells via T-cell receptor (TCR) binding to the peptide-MHC complex.