Telomerase reverse transcriptase-derived peptide epitope (hTERT peptide epitope)

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of the telomerase enzyme, which maintains telomere length and is essential for the unlimited proliferative capacity of cancer cells (Source: UniProt P09488). While hTERT is highly expressed in over 85% of all human cancers, its expression is negligible or absent in most normal adult somatic cells, making it a near-universal tumor-associated antigen (Source: PubMed PMID: 28633325). Peptide epitopes derived from hTERT are short amino acid sequences that can be presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules on the surface of tumor cells (Source: PubMed PMID: 11007150). These epitopes serve as targets for cancer immunotherapy, particularly in the development of therapeutic vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapies (Source: PubMed PMID: 31434351). By administering these peptides, the immune system is primed to generate hTERT-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and helper T cells that selectively target and destroy malignant cells (Source: PubMed PMID: 25103444). Clinical candidates like GV1001 and UV1 utilize these epitopes to treat various malignancies, including pancreatic, lung, and prostate cancers (Source: ClinicalTrials.gov).

Other names

hTERT peptideTelomerase-derived peptidehTERT antigenGV1001UV1 peptideshTERT 611-626hTERT 540-548TERT-derived epitope

Active immunotherapy through the presentation of hTERT-derived peptides by MHC molecules to T-cell receptors, stimulating the expansion of hTERT-specific cytotoxic and helper T cells to eliminate telomerase-positive tumor cells (Source: PubMed PMID: 20670951).