ASAP1 as a novel dual-level biomarker for tuberculosis: integrated genetic and proteomic evidence for early detection and disease monitoring.

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge, with limitations in current diagnostics prompting interest in host-derived biomarkers. This study evaluated the role of ASAP1, a regulator of actin cytoskeleton remodeling and dendritic cell migration, as a genetic and molecular biomarker for TB. A case–control cohort comprising 164 TB patients and 85 healthy controls was analyzed for two intronic ASAP1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs4733781 (A > C) and rs10956514 (G > A), along with peripheral blood mRNA expression and serum protein levels. METHODOLOGY AND

RESULTS

Genotypic analysis revealed no significant differences in allele frequencies between groups; however, rs4733781 was significantly associated with TB under the dominant genetic model (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.08–3.53, p = 0.04). Haplotype analysis identified a C–G–A–G configuration as more frequent in TB cases (OR = 15.78, p = 0.02). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data confirmed genotype-dependent variation in ASAP1 transcript levels. In this cohort, qPCR demonstrated markedly elevated ASAP1 mRNA expression in TB patients versus controls (mean 9.39-fold vs 1.26-fold; p < 0.001; AUC = 0.84), with a threshold of 5.134-fold yielding 75.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity. ELISA measurements showed higher serum ASAP1 protein levels in TB patients without rifampicin resistance compared to controls (median 137.61 vs. 65.71 ng/mL; p = 0.002; AUC = 0.64). The “either-positive” combination of mRNA and protein thresholds improved sensitivity to 92.1% while maintaining 85.5% specificity, whereas the “both-positive” rule achieved perfect specificity but lower sensitivity (51.3%).

CONCLUSION

Protein–protein interaction analysis linked ASAP1 to immune regulatory and cytoskeletal proteins, supporting its functional relevance in TB pathogenesis. These findings suggest that ASAP1, at both transcript and protein levels, is a promising candidate for inclusion in biomarker panels, with potential applications in confirmatory diagnosis and high-yield screening strategies. Further validation in larger, diverse, and longitudinal cohorts is warranted.