USE OF HLA-A*11:01-RESTRICTED HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) PEPTIDES FOR IDENTIFYING HBV-SPECIFIC CD8+ T CELLS

摘要

The present invention relates to peptides and their ability to identify and bind to T cells specific for HBV-infected hepatocytes. In an first aspect of the invention, there is provided a peptide comprising an amino sequence selected from the group consisting of STLPETAVVRR, STLPETAVVR, STLPETTVVRR, STLPETTVIRR, STPPETTVVRR, STLPETTVVGR and STIPETTVVRR, wherein the peptide is derived from Hepatitis B virus core169 and is capable of binding HLA-A*1101 and when bound to HLA-A*1101 is capable of identifying T cells specific for Hepatitis B virus. In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided A T cell expressing a T cell receptor (TCR) molecule, wherein the TCR molecule comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group comprising: CASGDSNSPLHF, CASSGGQIVYEQYF, CSARGGRGGDYTF and CASSQDWTEAFF, the T cell receptor is able to bind to a peptide according to the first aspect of the invention.