Tapasin (TPN)

Tapasin is a MHC class I antigen-processing molecule present in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. It plays an important role in the maturation of MHC class I molecules in the ER lumen. Tapasin is one component of the peptide-loading complex, and can be found associated with MHC class I molecules after the MHC class I heavy chain has associated with Beta₂ microglobulin.

The peptide-loading complex consists of TAP, tapasin, MHC class I, calreticulin, and ERp57. Tapasin recruits MHC class I molecules to the TAP peptide transporter, and also enhances loading of MHC class I with high-affinity peptides. Following loading of MHC class I with a high-affinity ligand, the interaction between tapasin and MHC class I disappears.