Serine protease 50 (PRSS50)

Serine protease 50 (PRSS50), also known as TSP50 or cancer/testis antigen 20, is a threonine-type serine protease belonging to the peptidase S1 family. PRSS50 is predominantly expressed in the testis, where it is essential for sperm tail formation and spermatogenesis. Mice lacking PRSS50 exhibit profound defects in sperm morphology and impaired fertility, highlighting its key reproductive role[2]. In addition to its physiological function, PRSS50 acts as a cancer/testis antigen and is aberrantly upregulated in several malignancies, including breast, colorectal, and lung cancers, where it may promote tumor cell proliferation and migration through NFκB signaling activation[2][3][6][8]. While no drugs directly targeting PRSS50 are currently available, its restricted normal tissue expression and overexpression in cancers make it a candidate for cancer biomarker development and a potential therapeutic target, particularly in immunotherapy[6][8]. Therapeutic targeting of PRSS50 may raise fertility and immunological concerns due to its essential role in normal spermatogenesis and potential as an antigen[2][6][8].

Other names

Cancer/testis antigen 20Testis-specific protease-like protein 50TSP50CT20Testicular tissue protein Li 210Probable threonine protease PRSS50

Not directly targeted by approved drugs - As a potential target, would involve inhibition of its protease activity - Modulation of NFκB signaling pathways via IκB degradation[2]