Serine protease PepA (Mtb32A) (Mtb32A)

Serine protease PepA, commonly known as Mtb32A (Rv0125), is a 32 kDa secreted enzyme produced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that belongs to the trypsin family of serine proteases [8, 15]. It is highly conserved and constitutively expressed across a wide range of Mtb strains, including drug-resistant isolates, which underscores its importance in the pathogen's life cycle [13, 15]. Mtb32A is a critical component of the M72/AS01E subunit vaccine, a leading candidate in the global tuberculosis vaccine pipeline that has demonstrated approximately 50% efficacy in preventing the progression of latent tuberculosis to active disease [1, 12]. The protein is highly immunogenic, eliciting strong Th1-type immune responses characterized by the secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and the activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells [4, 6]. Biologically, Mtb32A is hypothesized to contribute to mycobacterial virulence and survival within the host, possibly by processing bacterial proteins or degrading host defense factors [8, 17]. Beyond its role in vaccination, Mtb32A serves as a valuable biomarker for monitoring immune responses and is a potential target for the development of novel anti-tuberculosis drugs aimed at inhibiting its proteolytic activity [10, 11].

Other names

Rv0125mtb32aMTCI418B.0732 kDa antigenMtb32PepA

Stimulation of Th1 cell-mediated immune responses, including the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and the activation of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells [4, 6].