Adaptive immune receptors recognizing M72 antigen

Adaptive immune receptors recognizing M72 antigen encompass the repertoire of T-cell receptors (TCRs) and B-cell receptors (BCRs) that specifically bind to the M72 recombinant fusion protein. M72 is a vaccine antigen composed of two Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins, Mtb32A (Rv0125) and Mtb39A (Rv1196), designed to elicit a protective immune response against tuberculosis (Skeiky et al., 2004; Van Der Meeren et al., 2018). These receptors are the primary biological targets of the M72/AS01E vaccine candidate, which is formulated with the AS01E adjuvant to enhance immune recognition. When these receptors encounter M72-derived peptides presented on MHC molecules or the whole protein, they trigger the expansion of antigen-specific memory T and B cells. This process is essential for establishing long-term immunity, as activated CD4+ T cells produce critical cytokines like interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) to control M. tuberculosis infection (Tait et al., 2019). The interaction between M72 and these adaptive receptors is the fundamental mechanism by which the vaccine aims to prevent the progression of latent tuberculosis to active disease in high-burden settings. Clinical evidence suggests that targeting these receptors can provide approximately 50% protection against active pulmonary tuberculosis (Gillard et al., 2020). Monitoring the frequency and functionality of these receptors serves as a key measure of vaccine immunogenicity and potential efficacy.

Other names

M72-specific T-cell receptorsM72-specific B-cell receptorsM72-reactive TCRsM72-reactive BCRsM72-specific immune receptors

The M72/AS01E vaccine acts as an immunogen that binds to and activates these receptors, specifically through the presentation of M72-derived peptides on MHC molecules to T-cell receptors and the direct binding of the M72 protein to B-cell receptors, thereby inducing a memory immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.