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Wallace Z, Heunis T, Paterson RL, Suckling RJ, Grant T, Dembek M, Donoso J, Brener J, Long J, Bunjobpol W, Gibbs-Howe D, Kay DP, Leneghan DB, Godinho LF, Walker A, Singh PK, Knox A, Leonard S, Dorrell L. Instability of the HLA-E peptidome of HIV presents a major barrier to therapeutic targeting. Mol Ther 2024; 32:678-688. [PMID: 38219014 PMCID: PMC10928138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring T cells that recognize microbial peptides via HLA-E, a nonpolymorphic HLA class Ib molecule, could provide the foundation for new universal immunotherapeutics. However, confidence in the biological relevance of putative ligands is crucial, given that the mechanisms by which pathogen-derived peptides can access the HLA-E presentation pathway are poorly understood. We systematically interrogated the HIV proteome using immunopeptidomic and bioinformatic approaches, coupled with biochemical and cellular assays. No HIV HLA-E peptides were identified by tandem mass spectrometry analysis of HIV-infected cells. In addition, all bioinformatically predicted HIV peptide ligands (>80) were characterized by poor complex stability. Furthermore, infected cell elimination assays using an affinity-enhanced T cell receptor bispecific targeted to a previously reported HIV Gag HLA-E epitope demonstrated inconsistent presentation of the peptide, despite normal HLA-E expression on HIV-infected cells. This work highlights the instability of the HIV HLA-E peptidome as a major challenge for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë Wallace
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK.
| | - Tiaan Heunis
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Jose Donoso
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
| | | | - Joshua Long
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
| | | | | | - Daniel P Kay
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Andrew Knox
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
| | | | - Lucy Dorrell
- Immunocore Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY, UK
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