Identification of novel HBV peptides presented on HLA class I 📊

We are excited to share our latest publication! Led by Ricky Sinharay from the Boyle lab, and carried out in collaboration with teams across the University Hospital Tübingen and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the study substantially expands our knowledge of hepatitis B virus (HBV) peptides presented on HLA class I molecules relevant in regions where the virus is prevalent.

Hepatitis B virus remains one of the major causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. For cytotoxic T cells to detect and attack an infected cell, viral peptides must be processed inside the cell and presented on the surface by HLA class I molecules. These displayed peptides act like molecular flags. When T cells recognise them, they can respond. If researchers do not know which peptides are presented by which HLA molecules, it becomes much harder to understand protective immunity and how to design better immune-based therapies and vaccines.

Much of the known HBV epitope data focussed on HLA-A*02:01, a common and well-studied HLA allele. That work has been valuable, but it does not capture the full diversity of human antigen presentation. In many parts of the world heavily affected by HBV infection, other HLA class I molecules are common and less well characterised.

This project helps close that gap.

The team identified 28 novel HBV-derived peptides presented on HLA class I molecules, with a focus on HLA-B and HLA-C alleles that are relevant to populations where HBV has a major health impact. These new entries expand the Immune Epitope Database and add useful detail to the field’s understanding of how immune cells may recognise HBV-infected cells.

Read the full paper (open access)

image credit: CDC