This image is a 3D model of a T cell receptor (TCR) bound to a MART-1 peptide-MHC complex, which is found on melanoma cells. The exact amino acid sequence of the TCR was determined by immunoscreening of a patient enrolled in a neoadjuvant checkpoint blockade trial at Penn. The protein structure was predicted by AlphaFold. MART-1 is one of many melanoma-associated antigens and is a primary target for next-generation off-the-shelf therapies, namely mRNA vaccines. Identifying and profiling antigen-specific T cells is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of immunotherapies, which will allow us to develop better and safer treatments.
Kevin Wang is an MS1 at the Perelman School of Medicine.
