Implications of MHC-restricted immunopeptidome in transplantation

TL;DR

This review explores how peptides presented by MHC molecules can help understand and control T-cell responses in organ transplantation.

Contribution

The paper highlights the potential of immunopeptidome analysis for targeting and managing alloreactive T cells in transplantation.

Findings

The immunopeptidome is central to immune surveillance and alloreactivity in transplantation.

MHC-derived peptides significantly influence the immunopeptidome in transplant settings.

Understanding the immunopeptidome could lead to personalized immunotherapies for transplant patients.

Abstract

The peptide presentation by donor and recipient major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules is the major driver of T-cell responses in transplantation. In this review, we address an emerging area of interest, the application of immunopeptidome in transplantation, and describe the potential opportunities that exist to use peptides for targeting alloreactive T cells. The immunopeptidome, the set of peptides presented on an individual’s MHC, plays a key role in immune surveillance. In transplantation, the immunopeptidome is heavily influenced by MHC-derived peptides, delineating a key subset of the diverse peptide repertoire implicated in alloreactivity. A better understanding of the immunopeptidome in transplantation has the potential to open up new approaches to identify, characterize, longitudinally quantify, and therapeutically target donor-specific T cells and ultimately support more personalized immunotherapies to prevent rejection and promote allograft tolerance.

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