Identification of a novel Fasciola hepatica cathepsin L protease containing protective epitopes within the propeptide.

Cathepsin L (CL)-like proteases are important candidate vaccine antigens for protection against helminth infections. We previously identified an immunogenic 32 kDa protein specifically present in newly excysted juveniles (NEJs) of Fasciola hepatica. Here we show by N-terminal protein sequencing that this protein represents a CL-like protease still containing the propeptide.