Tumor-associated peptide antigens (TUMAPs) of liver cancer cells (TUMAPs)

Tumor-associated peptide antigens (TUMAPs) are short amino acid sequences, typically 8 to 11 residues in length, that are derived from proteins overexpressed or specifically expressed in liver cancer cells, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (Source: Immatics, https://immatics.com/technology/xpresident/). These peptides are processed intracellularly and presented on the cell surface by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules, allowing them to be recognized by the T-cell receptors (TCRs) of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (Source: Nature Communications, 2017, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01222-1). In liver cancer, specific TUMAPs derived from proteins like Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and Glypican-3 (GPC3) serve as high-precision targets for immunotherapies, including peptide-based vaccines and TCR-engineered T-cell therapies (Source: Journal of Hepatology, 2016, https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(16)30614-3/fulltext). By targeting multiple TUMAPs simultaneously, therapeutic candidates like IMA970A and HepaVac-101 aim to overcome the challenges of tumor heterogeneity and prevent immune escape (Source: HepaVac, http://www.hepavac.eu/). These targets are essential for developing "off-the-shelf" or personalized immunotherapies that specifically direct the immune system to eliminate malignant hepatocytes while sparing healthy tissue.

Other names

Tumor-associated peptidesTUMAPsHLA-presented peptidesMHC-restricted antigensLiver cancer-specific peptidesHCC-associated antigens

Induction of antigen-specific T-cell mediated cytotoxicity through the recognition of peptide-MHC complexes on the tumor cell surface.