Wilms tumor 1 peptide RMFPNAPYL presented by HLA-A*02:01 (WT1-RMF/HLA-A*02:01)

The Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) peptide RMFPNAPYL presented by HLA-A*02:01 is a prominent neoantigen-like target in cancer immunotherapy. WT1 is a zinc-finger transcription factor that is highly overexpressed in various hematological malignancies and solid tumors while maintaining restricted expression in normal adult tissues, making it an ideal tumor-associated antigen. The specific 9-amino acid sequence RMFPNAPYL (residues 126-134) is a dominant immunogenic epitope that is processed and presented on the cell surface by the HLA-A*02:01 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule. This peptide-MHC complex is the focal point for several therapeutic modalities, including peptide vaccines, T-cell receptor-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies, and T-cell receptor-mimic (TCRm) antibodies. By targeting this specific complex, therapies aim to direct the cytotoxic power of the immune system specifically against malignant cells that present the WT1 antigen.

Other names

WT1 126-134 peptideRMFPNAPYLWT1-A2 complexWT1-RMFWilms tumor protein 126-134 presented by HLA-A*02:01

The target is recognized by the T-cell receptor (TCR) of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes or by TCR-mimic antibodies, leading to the targeted lysis of WT1-expressing tumor cells. Therapeutic vaccines containing the RMFPNAPYL peptide aim to expand endogenous WT1-specific T-cell populations to induce an anti-tumor immune response.