Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPE family protein PPE18 (Rv1196) (PPE18)

Rv1196, also known as PPE18, is a 39-kDa protein belonging to the Pro-Pro-Glu (PPE) family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (UniProt P9WIK1). It is a highly immunogenic surface protein that interacts with the host immune system, specifically binding to Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on macrophages to trigger signal transduction pathways (Nair et al., 2009, J Biol Chem). Rv1196 is a primary component of the M72/AS01E subunit vaccine, where it is fused with the serine protease Rv0125 (Van Der Meeren et al., 2018, N Engl J Med). This vaccine candidate aims to prevent active tuberculosis by stimulating a robust Th1-mediated immune response, including the activation of polyfunctional CD4+ T cells (Gaitonde et al., 2020, Front Immunol). Research indicates that Rv1196 plays a dual role in both virulence and the induction of protective immunity, making it a focal point for modern TB vaccine development (Tait et al., 2019, N Engl J Med). The protein's ability to induce high levels of interferon-gamma and TNF-alpha is crucial for its efficacy as a vaccine antigen. Clinical trials have demonstrated that targeting Rv1196 through vaccination can provide significant protection against the progression of latent tuberculosis to active disease in endemic populations.

Other names

Rv1196Mtb39A39 kDa antigenPPE family protein 18

Induction of antigen-specific Th1-type cellular immune response and production of protective cytokines such as IFN-gamma, IL-2, and TNF-alpha.