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Das T, Datta S, Sen A. Revolutionizing Nipah virus vaccinology: insights into subunit vaccine development strategies and immunological advances. In Silico Pharmacol 2024; 12:69. [PMID: 39070666 PMCID: PMC11282045 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-024-00246-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The Nipah virus (NiV), a zoonotic virus in the Henipavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family, emerged in Malaysia in 1998 and later spread globally. Diseased patients may have a 40- 70% chance of fatality depending on the severity and early medication. The recent outbreak of NiV was reported in Kerala (India) by a new strain of MCL-19-H-1134 isolate. Currently, no vaccines are available, highlighting the critical need for a conclusive remedy. Our study aims to develop a subunit vaccine against the NiV by analyzing its proteome. NiV genome and proteome sequences were obtained from the NCBI database. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on genome alignment. T-cell, helper T-cell, and B-cell epitopes were predicted from the protein sequences using NetCTL-1.2, NetMHCIIPan-4.1, and IEDB servers, respectively. High-affinity epitopes for human receptors were selected to construct a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV). These epitopes' antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity were evaluated using VaxiJen, AllergenFP-v.1.0, and AllergenFP algorithms. Molecular interactions with specific receptors were analyzed using PyRx and ClusPro. Amino acid interactions were visualized and analyzed using PyMOL and LigPlot. Immuno-simulation was conducted using C-ImmSim to assess the immune response elicited by the MEV. Finally, the vaccine cDNA was inserted into the pET28a(+) expression vector using SnapGene tool for in silico cloning in an E. coli host. The potential for an imminent outbreak cannot be overlooked. A subunit vaccine is more cost-effective and time-efficient. With additional in vitro and in vivo validation, this vaccine could become a superior preventive measure against NiV disease. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00246-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapas Das
- Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India
| | - Sutapa Datta
- Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India
| | - Arnab Sen
- Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India
- Bioinformatics Facility Centre, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India
- Biswa Bangla Genome Centre, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, India
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Nguyen TL, Kim H. Immunoinformatics and computational approaches driven designing a novel vaccine candidate against Powassan virus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5999. [PMID: 38472237 PMCID: PMC10933373 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56554-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) capable of causing severe illness in humans for severe neurological complications, and its incidence has been on the rise in recent years due to climate change, posing a growing public health concern. Currently, no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat POWV disease, emphasizing the urgent need for effective countermeasures. In this study, we utilize bioinformatics approaches to target proteins of POWV, including the capsid, envelope, and membrane proteins, to predict diverse B-cell and T-cell epitopes. These epitopes underwent screening for critical properties such as antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and cytokine induction potential. Eight selected epitopes were then conjugated with adjuvants using various linkers, resulting in designing of a potentially stable and immunogenic vaccine candidate against POWV. Moreover, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and immune simulations revealed a stable interaction pattern with the immune receptor, suggesting the vaccine's potential to induce robust immune responses. In conclusion, our study provided a set of derived epitopes from POWV's proteins, demonstrating the potential for a novel vaccine candidate against POWV. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to advance our efforts and move closer to the goal of combatting POWV and related arbovirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truc Ly Nguyen
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioinformatics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- eGnome, Inc., Seoul, 05836, Republic of Korea.
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Chawla M, Cuspoca AF, Akthar N, Magdaleno JSL, Rattanabunyong S, Suwattanasophon C, Jongkon N, Choowongkomon K, Shaikh AR, Malik T, Cavallo L. Immunoinformatics-aided rational design of a multi-epitope vaccine targeting feline infectious peritonitis virus. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1280273. [PMID: 38192725 PMCID: PMC10773687 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1280273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a grave and frequently lethal ailment instigated by feline coronavirus (FCoV) in wild and domestic feline species. The spike (S) protein of FCoV assumes a critical function in viral ingress and infection, thereby presenting a promising avenue for the development of a vaccine. In this investigation, an immunoinformatics approach was employed to ascertain immunogenic epitopes within the S-protein of FIP and formulate an innovative vaccine candidate. By subjecting the amino acid sequence of the FIP S-protein to computational scrutiny, MHC-I binding T-cell epitopes were predicted, which were subsequently evaluated for their antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity through in silico tools. Our analyses yielded the identification of 11 potential epitopes capable of provoking a robust immune response against FIPV. Additionally, molecular docking analysis demonstrated the ability of these epitopes to bind with feline MHC class I molecules. Through the utilization of suitable linkers, these epitopes, along with adjuvants, were integrated to design a multi-epitope vaccine candidate. Furthermore, the stability of the interaction between the vaccine candidate and feline Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was established via molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analyses. This suggests good prospects for future experimental validation to ascertain the efficacy of our vaccine candidate in inducing a protective immune response against FIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit Chawla
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrés Felipe Cuspoca
- Grupo de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica de Colombia (GRECO), Universidad Pedagógica yTecnológica de Colombia, Tunja, Colombia
- Centro de Atención e Investigación Médica–CAIMED, Chía, Colombia
| | - Nahid Akthar
- Department of Research and Innovation, STEMskills Research and Education Lab Private Limited, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Jorge Samuel Leon Magdaleno
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Nathjanan Jongkon
- Department of Social and Applied Science, College of Industrial Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Abdul Rajjak Shaikh
- Department of Research and Innovation, STEMskills Research and Education Lab Private Limited, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Tabarak Malik
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Luigi Cavallo
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Kaust Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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A Novel High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound-Treated Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Vaccine Induces Long-Term Protective Immunity against Lethal Challenge in Mice. mSphere 2020; 5:5/6/e00859-20. [PMID: 33361122 PMCID: PMC7763547 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00859-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a noninvasive ablation therapy that has been widely used clinically in ablation of solid tumors, induces immune sensitization. We therefore in this study investigated whether HIFU treatment could enhance the efficacy of a herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine. First, we observed that in HSV-2-positive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) II patients, HIFU treatment induced significantly higher anti-HSV-2 neutralization response than surgical removal. Next, we tested the efficacy of HIFU-treated, UV-inactivated HSV-2-infected cells as a proof-of-concept vaccine in mice. Our data showed that HIFU-treated formulation significantly enhanced HSV-2 antibody titers and neutralization titers, compared to UV-, microwave (MW)-, or freeze-thaw (FT)-treated formulations. HIFU treatment also promoted the Th1/2 cell-mediated response. A long-term full protection was observed in mice that received the HIFU-treated formulation, and no weight loss was detected. Our findings indicate that the novel application of HIFU in vaccine production may represent a rational way to improve vaccine efficacy.IMPORTANCE High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is mainly used in tumor ablation and tumor vaccinology study. It has been shown to induce immune sensitization and enhance tumor responsiveness to other therapies. Our study has shown enhanced anti-HSV-2 response in HIFU-treated CIN II patients. Furthermore, in a murine model, we have demonstrated that HIFU-treated HSV-2 vaccine induced long-term protective immunity against lethal challenge. Our findings indicate that the novel application of HIFU in vaccine production may represent a rational way to improve vaccine efficacy.
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Chan Y, Jazayeri SD, Ramanathan B, Poh CL. Enhancement of Tetravalent Immune Responses to Highly Conserved Epitopes of a Dengue Peptide Vaccine Conjugated to Polystyrene Nanoparticles. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030417. [PMID: 32722368 PMCID: PMC7563452 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination remains the major approach to the prevention of dengue. Since the only licensed live attenuated vaccine (LAV) lacked efficacy against all four serotypes, other vaccine platforms, such as synthetic peptide vaccines, should be explored. In this study, four multi-epitope peptides (P1-P4) were designed by linking a universal T-helper epitope (PADRE or TpD) to the highly conserved CD8 T cell epitope and B cell epitope (B1 or B2) against all four DENV serotypes. The multi-epitope peptides were conjugated to polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) and four nanovaccines (NP1-NP4) were constructed. Mice immunized with NP1-NP4 elicited significantly higher titers of IgG and neutralizing antibodies when compared to immunization with naked P1-P4. The immune responses in mice immunized with peptide vaccines were compared with nanovaccines using ELISA, ELISPOT, and a neutralization test based on FRNT50. Among the four conjugated peptide nanovaccines, NP3 comprising the TpD T-helper epitope linked to the highly conserved B1 epitope derived from the E protein was able to elicit significant levels of IFN-γ and neutralizing antibodies to all four dengue serotypes. NP3 is a promising tetravalent synthetic peptide vaccine, but the selection of a more effective CD8+ T cell epitope and adjuvants to further improve the immunogenicity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Chan
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Seyed Davoud Jazayeri
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
| | - Babu Ramanathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (Y.C.); (S.D.J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-3-74918622
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