10 kDa culture filtrate antigen (CFP-10) (CFP-10)

Culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10), also known as EsxB, is a low-molecular-weight protein secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (UniProt: P9WNK3) [1]. It plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis by forming a tight 1:1 heterodimeric complex with Early Secretory Antigenic Target-6 (ESAT-6) (Renshaw et al., 2005) [2]. This complex is secreted via the Type VII secretion system (ESX-1) and is essential for the bacteria's ability to disrupt the phagosomal membrane, allowing the pathogen to escape into the host cell cytoplasm (Champion et al., 2006) [3]. CFP-10 is highly immunogenic and serves as a primary target for T-cell-mediated immune responses during infection (Sorensen et al., 1995) [4]. Due to its absence in the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine strain and most non-tuberculous mycobacteria, it is a key component in Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) used for the specific diagnosis of latent and active tuberculosis (CDC, 2023) [5]. While not currently a target for approved small-molecule therapeutics, it is a major focus for vaccine development and the design of virulence inhibitors that aim to disrupt the ESX-1 secretion pathway (Rybniker et al., 2014) [6].

Other names

EsxBCulture filtrate protein 10L-ESAT-6Protein EsxB

Diagnostic stimulation of T-cells to release interferon-gamma; experimental inhibition of ESX-1 mediated virulence