# HLA-E

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/hla-e/  
OnCo record `hla-e` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

HLA-E is the self badge that NKG2A on NK cells reads. Tumours raise it to escape NK cells; monalizumab blocks the reader rather than the badge.

## Summary

HLA-E (chromosome 6p22.1) is a non-classical MHC class Ib molecule involved in self versus non-self discrimination that, with beta-2 microglobulin, binds nonamer signal-sequence peptides from classical class Ia molecules and is read by the CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptor (UniProt P13747). Outside lymphoid tissue its expression is restricted to endothelial cells of all vessel types; in lymphoid organs it is expressed on endothelial venules, B and T cells, monocytes, macrophages, NK cells and megakaryocytes (protein level).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-24
- Also known as: major histocompatibility complex, class I, E; HLA class I histocompatibility antigen, alpha chain E
- Tags: checkpoint-map
- Symbol: HLA-E
- Class: checkpoint
- Biology: The ligand of NKG2A (KLRC1); the same complex can activate through NKG2C.
- Where found: Endothelium; lymphoid B and T cells, monocytes, macrophages, NK cells (UniProt P13747)

## Notes

- Prevalence not recorded: HGNC and UniProt carry no positivity rates.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:4962: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:4962
- UniProt P13747: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P13747/entry
- NCBI Gene 3133: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3133

## Connected records

- targets: [HLA-A](https://onco.cc/targets/hla-a/), [NKG2A (KLRC1)](https://onco.cc/targets/klrc1/)
- drugs: [Monalizumab](https://onco.cc/drugs/monalizumab/)
- pathways: [The cancer-immunity cycle](https://onco.cc/pathways/cancer-immunity-cycle/)
- terms: [Checkpoint (two meanings)](https://onco.cc/terms/checkpoint/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/hla-e.json