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Meng F, Zhou N, Hu G, Liu R, Zhang Y, Jing M, Hou Q. A comprehensive overview of recent advances in generative models for antibodies. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2648-2660. [PMID: 39027650 PMCID: PMC11254834 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.06.016] [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] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic antibodies are an important class of biopharmaceuticals. With the rapid development of deep learning methods and the increasing amount of antibody data, antibody generative models have made great progress recently. They aim to solve the antibody space searching problems and are widely incorporated into the antibody development process. Therefore, a comprehensive introduction to the development methods in this field is imperative. Here, we collected 34 representative antibody generative models published recently and all generative models can be divided into three categories: sequence-generating models, structure-generating models, and hybrid models, based on their principles and algorithms. We further studied their performance and contributions to antibody sequence prediction, structure optimization, and affinity enhancement. Our manuscript will provide a comprehensive overview of the status of antibody generative models and also offer guidance for selecting different approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanxu Meng
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Na Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
- National Institute of Health Data Science of China, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Guangchun Hu
- School of Information Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
| | - Ruotong Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
- National Institute of Health Data Science of China, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Ming Jing
- Key Laboratory of Computing Power Network and Information Security, Ministry of Education, Shandong Computer Science Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Networks, Shandong Fundamental Research Center for Computer Science, Jinan 250000, China
| | - Qingzhen Hou
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
- National Institute of Health Data Science of China, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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2
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Garrido-Palazuelos LI, Almanza-Orduño AA, Waseem M, Basheer A, Medrano-Félix JA, Mukthar M, Ahmed-Khan H, Shahid F, Aguirre-Sánchez JR. Immunoinformatic approach for multi-epitope vaccine design against Staphylococcus aureus based on hemolysin proteins. J Mol Graph Model 2024; 132:108848. [PMID: 39182254 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2024.108848] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that causes a variety of infections in humans. This microorganism produces several virulence factors, including hemolysins, which contribute to its disease-causing ability. The treatment of S. aureus infections typically involves the use of antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has become a major concern. Therefore, vaccination against S. aureus has gained attention as an alternative approach. Vaccination has the advantage of stimulating the immune system to produce specific antibodies that can neutralize bacteria and prevent infection. However, developing an effective vaccine against S. aureus has proven to be challenging. This study aimed to use in silico methods to design a multi-epitope vaccine against S. aureus infection based on hemolysin proteins. The designed vaccine contained four B-cell epitopes, four CTL epitopes, and four HTL epitopes, as well as the ribosomal protein L7/L12 and pan-HLA DR-binding epitope, included as adjuvants. Furthermore, the vaccine was non-allergenic and non-toxic with the potential to stimulate the TLR2-, TLR-4, and TLR-6 receptors. The predicted vaccine exhibited a high degree of antigenicity and stability, suggesting potential for further development as a viable vaccine candidate. The population coverage of the vaccine was 94.4 %, indicating potential widespread protection against S. aureus. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the design of an effective multi-epitope vaccine against S. aureus infection and pave the way for future experimental validations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennin Isaac Garrido-Palazuelos
- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Unidad Regional Los Mochis. Departamento Académico de Ciencias de la Salud. Blvd. Macario Gaxiola y Carretera Internacional, México 15, C.P. 81223, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Arath Andrés Almanza-Orduño
- Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Unidad Regional Los Mochis. Departamento Académico de Ciencias de la Salud. Blvd. Macario Gaxiola y Carretera Internacional, México 15, C.P. 81223, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Maaz Waseem
- Atta ur Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan; School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Amina Basheer
- Atta ur Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - José Andrés Medrano-Félix
- Investigadoras e investigadores por México Centro de Investigación En Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C. Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Inocuidad Alimentaria. Carretera a El Dorado km 5.5, Campo El Diez, 80110, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Mamuna Mukthar
- Atta ur Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Haris Ahmed-Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Mianwali, Punjab, 42200, Pakistan
| | - Fatima Shahid
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science & Technology, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Selangor Malaysia, Malaysia
| | - José Roberto Aguirre-Sánchez
- Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Inocuidad Alimentaria (LANIIA). Centro de Investigación en ALimentación y Desarrollo A.C. (CIAD) Unidad Culiacán, Sinaloa, México.
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3
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Ahmed MZ, Alqahtani AS, Rehman MT. Rational design of a multi-epitope vaccine against heartland virus (HRTV) using immune-informatics, molecular docking and dynamics approaches. Acta Trop 2024; 259:107388. [PMID: 39251172 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107388] [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: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Heartland virus (HRTV) is a single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus that infects human beings. Because there are no antiviral medications available to treat HRTV infection, supportive care management is used in cases of severe disease. Therefore, it has spurred research into developing a multi-epitope vaccine capable of providing effective protection against HRTV infection. A multi-epitope vaccine was created using a combination of immuno-informatics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation in this investigation. The HRTV proteome was utilized to predict B-cell, T-cell (HTL and CTL), and IFN-epitopes. Following prediction, highly antigenic, non-allergenic and immunogenic epitopes were chosen, including 6 CTL, 8 HTL, and 5 LBL epitopes that were connected to the final peptide by AAY, GPGPG, and KK linkers, respectively. An adjuvant was introduced to the vaccine's N-terminal through the EAAAK linker to increase its immunogenicity. Following the inclusion of linkers and adjuvant, the final construct has 359 amino acids. The presence of B-cell and IFN-γ-epitopes validates the construct's acquired humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. To ensure the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity profile, its allergenicity, antigenicity, and various physicochemical characteristics were assessed. Docking was used to assess the binding affinity and molecular interaction between the vaccination and TLR-3. In silico cloning was used to confirm the construct's validity and expression efficiency. The results of these computer assays demonstrated that the designed vaccine is highly promising in terms of developing protective immunity against HRTV; nevertheless, additional in vivo and in vitro investigations are required to validate its true immune-protective efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Z Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ali S Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Tabish Rehman
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Mekala JR, Nalluri HP, Reddy PN, S B S, N S SK, G V S D SK, Dhiman R, Chamarthy S, Komaragiri RR, Manyam RR, Dirisala VR. Emerging trends and therapeutic applications of monoclonal antibodies. Gene 2024; 925:148607. [PMID: 38797505 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148607] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are being used to prevent, detect, and treat a broad spectrum of malignancies and infectious and autoimmune diseases. Over the past few years, the market for mAbs has grown exponentially. They have become a significant part of many pharmaceutical product lines, and more than 250 therapeutic mAbs are undergoing clinical trials. Ever since the advent of hybridoma technology, antibody-based therapeutics were realized using murine antibodies which further progressed into humanized and fully human antibodies, reducing the risk of immunogenicity. Some of the benefits of using mAbs over conventional drugs include a drastic reduction in the chances of adverse reactions, interactions between drugs, and targeting specific proteins. While antibodies are very efficient, their higher production costs impede the process of commercialization. However, their cost factor has been improved by developing biosimilar antibodies, which are affordable versions of therapeutic antibodies. Along with biosimilars, innovations in antibody engineering have helped to design bio-better antibodies with improved efficacy than the conventional ones. These novel mAb-based therapeutics are set to revolutionize existing drug therapies targeting a wide spectrum of diseases, thereby meeting several unmet medical needs. In the future, mAbs generated by applying next-generation sequencing (NGS) are expected to become a powerful tool in clinical therapeutics. This article describes the methods of mAb production, pre-clinical and clinical development of mAbs, approved indications targeted by mAbs, and novel developments in the field of mAb research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaki Ramaiah Mekala
- Department of Biotechnology, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF), Vaddeswaram 522502, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA.
| | - Hari P Nalluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's (Deemed to be) University, Guntur 522213, AP, India
| | - Prakash Narayana Reddy
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. V.S. Krishna Government College, Visakhapatnam 530013, India
| | - Sainath S B
- Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore 524320, AP, India
| | - Sampath Kumar N S
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's (Deemed to be) University, Guntur 522213, AP, India
| | - Sai Kiran G V S D
- Santhiram Medical College and General Hospital, Nandyal, Kurnool 518501, AP, India
| | - Rohan Dhiman
- Laboratory of Mycobacterial Immunology, Department of Life Sciences, National Institute of Technology Rourkela-769008, India
| | - Sahiti Chamarthy
- Department of Biotechnology, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF), Vaddeswaram 522502, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
| | - Raghava Rao Komaragiri
- Department of CSE, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF), Vaddeswaram 522302, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
| | - Rajasekhar Reddy Manyam
- Amrita School of Computing, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amaravati Campus, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Vijaya R Dirisala
- Department of Biotechnology, Vignan's (Deemed to be) University, Guntur 522213, AP, India.
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Alsaiari AA, Hakami MA, Alotaibi BS, Alkhalil SS, Alkhorayef N, Khan K, Jalal K. Delineating multi-epitopes vaccine designing from membrane protein CL5 against all monkeypox strains: a pangenome reverse vaccinology approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:8385-8406. [PMID: 37599459 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2248301] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
The recently identified monkeypox virus (MPXV or mpox) is a zoonotic orthopox virus that infects humans and causes diseases with traits like smallpox. The world health organization (WHO) estimates that 3-6% of MPXV cases result in death. As it might impact everyone globally, like COVID, and become the next pandemic, the cure for this disease is important for global public health. The high incidence and disease ratio of MPXV necessitates immediate efforts to design a unique vaccine candidate capable of addressing MPXV diseases. Here, we used a computational pan-genome-based vaccine design strategy for all currently reported 19 MPXV strains acquired from different regions of the world. Thus, this study's objective was to develop a new and safe vaccine candidate against MPXV by targeting the membrane CL5 protein; identified after the pangenome analysis. Proteomics and reverse vaccinology have covered up all of the MPXV epitopes that would usually stimulate robust host immune responses. Following this, only two mapped (MHC-I, MHC-II, and B-cell) epitopes were observed to be extremely effective that can be used in the construction of CL5 protein vaccine candidates. The suggested vaccine (V5) candidate from eight vaccine models was shown to be antigenic, non-allergenic, and stable (with 213 amino acids). The vaccine's candidate efficacy was evaluated by using many in silico methods to predict, improve, and validate its 3D structure. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further reveal that the proposed vaccine candidate ensemble has a high interaction energy with the HLAs and TRL2/4 immunological receptors under study. Later, the vaccine sequence was used to generate an expression vector for the E. coli K12 strain. Further study uncovers that V5 was highly immunogenic because it produced robust primary, secondary, and tertiary immune responses. Eventually, the use of computer-aided vaccine designing may significantly reduce costs and speed up the process of developing vaccines. Although, the results of this research are promising, however, more research (experimental; in vivo, and in vitro studies) is needed to verify the biological efficacy of the proposed vaccine against MPXV.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahad Amer Alsaiari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ageeli Hakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader S Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samia S Alkhalil
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada Alkhorayef
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al- Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
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6
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Khan K, Burki S, Alsaiari AA, Alhuthali HM, Alharthi NS, Jalal K. A therapeutic epitopes-based vaccine engineering against Salmonella enterica XDR strains for typhoid fever: a Pan-vaccinomics approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:8559-8573. [PMID: 37578072 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2246587] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
A prevalent food-borne pathogen, Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi, is responsible for gastrointestinal and systemic infections globally. Salmonella vaccines are the most effective, however, producing a broad-spectrum vaccine remains challenging due to Salmonella's many serotypes. Efforts are urgently required to develop a novel vaccine candidate that can tackle all S. Typhi strains because of their high resistance to multiple kinds of antibiotics (particularly the XDR H58 strain). In this work, we used a computational pangenome-based vaccine design technique on all available (n = 119) S. Typhi reference genomes and identified one TonB-dependent siderophore receptor (WP_001034967.1) as highly conserved and prospective vaccine candidates from the predicted core genome (n = 3,351). The applied pan-proteomics and Immunoinformatic approaches help in the identification of four epitopes that may trigger adequate host body immune responses. Furthermore, the proposed vaccine ensemble demonstrates a stable binding conformation with the examined immunological receptor (HLAs and TRL2/4) and has large interaction energy determined via molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. Eventually, an expression vector for the Escherichia. coli K12 strain was constructed from the vaccine sequence. Additional analysis revealed that the vaccine may help to elicit strong immune responses for typhoid infections, however, experimental analysis is required to verify the vaccine's effectiveness based on these results. Moreover, the applied computer-assisted vaccine design may considerably decrease vaccine development costs and speed up the process. The study's findings are intriguing, but they must be evaluated in the experimental labs to confirm the developed vaccine's biological efficiency against XDR S. Typhi.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Samiullah Burki
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ahad Amer Alsaiari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hayaa M Alhuthali
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nahed S Alharthi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
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Pillay K, Chiliza TE, Senzani S, Pillay B, Pillay M. In silico design of Mycobacterium tuberculosis multi-epitope adhesin protein vaccines. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37536. [PMID: 39323805 PMCID: PMC11422057 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37536] [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] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) adhesin proteins are promising candidates for subunit vaccine design. Multi-epitope Mtb vaccine and diagnostic candidates were designed using immunoinformatic tools. The antigenic potential of 26 adhesin proteins were determined using VaxiJen 2.0. The truncated heat shock protein 70 (tnHSP70), 19 kDa antigen lipoprotein (lpqH), Mtb curli pili (MTP), and Phosphate transport protein S1 (PstS1) were selected based on the number of known epitopes on the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB). B- and T-cell epitopes were identified using BepiPred2.0, ABCpred, SVMTriP, and IEDB, respectively. Population coverage was analysed using prominent South African specific alleles on the IEDB. The allergenicity, physicochemical characteristics and tertiary structure of the tri-fusion proteins were determined. The in silico immune simulation was performed using C-ImmSim. Three truncated sequences, with predicted B and T cell epitopes, and without allergenicity or signal peptides were linked by three glycine-serine residues, resulting in the stable, hydrophilic molecules, tnlpqH-tnPstS1-tnHSP70 (64,86 kDa) and tnMTP-tnPstS1-tnHSP70 (63,96 kDa). Restriction endonuclease recognition sequences incorporated at the N- and C-terminal ends of each construct, facilitated virtual cloning using Snapgene, into pGEX6P-1, resulting in novel, highly immunogenic vaccine candidates (0,912-0,985). Future studies will involve the cloning, recombinant protein expression and purification of these constructs for downstream applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koobashnee Pillay
- Discipline of Medical Microbiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Thamsanqa E. Chiliza
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Sibusiso Senzani
- Discipline of Medical Microbiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Balakrishna Pillay
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Manormoney Pillay
- Discipline of Medical Microbiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Rahman S, Chiou CC, Almutairi MM, Ajmal A, Batool S, Javed B, Tanaka T, Chen CC, Alouffi A, Ali A. Targeting Yezo Virus Structural Proteins for Multi-Epitope Vaccine Design Using Immunoinformatics Approach. Viruses 2024; 16:1408. [PMID: 39339884 PMCID: PMC11437474 DOI: 10.3390/v16091408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
A novel tick-borne orthonairovirus called the Yezo virus (YEZV), primarily transmitted by the Ixodes persulcatus tick, has been recently discovered and poses significant threats to human health. The YEZV is considered endemic in Japan and China. Clinical symptoms associated with this virus include thrombocytopenia, fatigue, headache, leukopenia, fever, depression, and neurological complications ranging from mild febrile illness to severe outcomes like meningitis and encephalitis. At present, there is no treatment or vaccine readily accessible for this pathogenic virus. Therefore, this research employed an immunoinformatics approach to pinpoint potential vaccine targets within the YEZV through an extensive examination of its structural proteins. Three structural proteins were chosen using specific criteria to pinpoint T-cell and B-cell epitopes, which were subsequently validated through interferon-gamma induction. Six overlapping epitopes for cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL), helper T-lymphocytes (HTL), and linear B-lymphocytes (LBL) were selected to construct a multi-epitope vaccine, achieving a 92.29% coverage of the global population. These epitopes were then fused with the 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 adjuvant to improve protection against international strains. The three-dimensional structure of the designed vaccine construct underwent an extensive evaluation through structural analysis. Following molecular docking studies, the YEZV vaccine construct emerged as a candidate for further investigation, showing the lowest binding energy (-78.7 kcal/mol) along with favorable physiochemical and immunological properties. Immune simulation and molecular dynamics studies demonstrated its stability and potential to induce a strong immune response within the host cells. This comprehensive analysis indicates that the designed vaccine construct could offer protection against the YEZV. It is crucial to conduct additional in vitro and in vivo experiments to verify its safety and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudais Rahman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Chien-Chun Chiou
- Department of Dermatology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
| | - Mashal M Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amar Ajmal
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Batool
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Bushra Javed
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science/Faculty of Agriculture, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8572, Japan
| | - Chien-Chin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan 717, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
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Juanes-Velasco P, Arias-Hidalgo C, García-Vaquero ML, Sotolongo-Ravelo J, Paíno T, Lécrevisse Q, Landeira-Viñuela A, Góngora R, Hernández ÁP, Fuentes M. Crucial Parameters for Immunopeptidome Characterization: A Systematic Evaluation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9564. [PMID: 39273511 PMCID: PMC11395153 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179564] [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: 07/25/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunopeptidomics is the area of knowledge focused on the study of peptides assembled in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in humans, which could activate the immune response via specific and selective T cell recognition. Advances in high-sensitivity mass spectrometry have enabled the detailed identification and quantification of the immunopeptidome, significantly impacting fields like oncology, infections, and autoimmune diseases. Current immunopeptidomics approaches primarily focus on workflows to identify immunopeptides from HLA molecules, requiring the isolation of the HLA from relevant cells or tissues. Common critical steps in these workflows, such as cell lysis, HLA immunoenrichment, and peptide isolation, significantly influence outcomes. A systematic evaluation of these steps led to the creation of an 'Immunopeptidome Score' to enhance the reproducibility and robustness of these workflows. This score, derived from LC-MS/MS datasets (ProteomeXchange identifier PXD038165), in combination with available information from public databases, aids in optimizing the immunopeptidome characterization process. The 'Immunopeptidome Score' has been applied in a systematic analysis of protein extraction, HLA immunoprecipitation, and peptide recovery yields across several tumor cell lines enabling the selection of peptides with optimal features and, therefore, the identification of potential biomarker and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Juanes-Velasco
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlota Arias-Hidalgo
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina L García-Vaquero
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Janet Sotolongo-Ravelo
- Oncohematology Group, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Teresa Paíno
- Oncohematology Group, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Quentin Lécrevisse
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Landeira-Viñuela
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Góngora
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángela-Patricia Hernández
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, CIETUS, IBSAL, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Fuentes
- Translational and Clinical Research Program, Cancer Research Center (IBMCC, CSIC-University of Salamanca), Cytometry Service, NUCLEUS, Department of Medicine, University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca), 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre Consortium of Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Proteomics Unit-IBSAL, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, (IBSAL/USAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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10
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Biswas R, Swetha RG, Basu S, Roy A, Ramaiah S, Anbarasu A. Designing multi-epitope vaccine against human cytomegalovirus integrating pan-genome and reverse vaccinology pipelines. Biologicals 2024; 87:101782. [PMID: 39003966 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2024.101782] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is accountable for high morbidity in neonates and immunosuppressed individuals. Due to the high genetic variability of HCMV, current prophylactic measures are insufficient. In this study, we employed a pan-genome and reverse vaccinology approach to screen the target for efficient vaccine candidates. Four proteins, envelope glycoprotein M, UL41A, US23, and US28, were shortlisted based on cellular localization, high solubility, antigenicity, and immunogenicity. A total of 29 B-cell and 44 T-cell highly immunogenic and antigenic epitopes with high global population coverage were finalized using immunoinformatics tools and algorithms. Further, the epitopes that were overlapping among the finalized B-cell and T-cell epitopes were linked with suitable linkers to form various combinations of multi-epitopic vaccine constructs. Among 16 vaccine constructs, Vc12 was selected based on physicochemical and structural properties. The docking and molecular simulations of VC12 were performed, which showed its high binding affinity (-23.35 kcal/mol) towards TLR4 due to intermolecular hydrogen bonds, salt bridges, and hydrophobic interactions, and there were only minimal fluctuations. Furthermore, Vc12 eliciting a good response was checked for its expression in Escherichia coli through in silico cloning and codon optimization, suggesting it to be a potent vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhitam Biswas
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rayapadi G Swetha
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biosciences, SBST, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Soumya Basu
- Department of Biotechnology, NIST University, Berhampur, 761008, Odisha, India
| | - Aditi Roy
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sudha Ramaiah
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biosciences, SBST, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
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11
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Su Z, Wu Y, Cao K, Du J, Cao L, Wu Z, Wu X, Wang X, Song Y, Wang X, Duan H. APEX-pHLA: A novel method for accurate prediction of the binding between exogenous short peptides and HLA class I molecules. Methods 2024; 228:38-47. [PMID: 38772499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.05.013] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules play critically significant role within the realm of immunotherapy due to their capacities to recognize and bind exogenous antigens such as peptides, subsequently delivering them to immune cells. Predicting the binding between peptides and HLA molecules (pHLA) can expedite the screening of immunogenic peptides and facilitate vaccine design. However, traditional experimental methods are time-consuming and inefficient. In this study, an efficient method based on deep learning was developed for predicting peptide-HLA binding, which treated peptide sequences as linguistic entities. It combined the architectures of textCNN and BiLSTM to create a deep neural network model called APEX-pHLA. This model operated without limitations related to HLA class I allele variants and peptide segment lengths, enabling efficient encoding of sequence features for both HLA and peptide segments. On the independent test set, the model achieved Accuracy, ROC_AUC, F1, and MCC is 0.9449, 0.9850, 0.9453, and 0.8899, respectively. Similarly, on an external test set, the results were 0.9803, 0.9574, 0.8835, and 0.7863, respectively. These findings outperformed fifteen methods previously reported in the literature. The accurate prediction capability of the APEX-pHLA model in peptide-HLA binding might provide valuable insights for future HLA vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Su
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Yejian Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Kaiqiang Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Jie Du
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Lujing Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Zhipeng Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Xinyi Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Xinqiao Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Ying Song
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Xudong Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Hongliang Duan
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China.
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12
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Reddy DJ, Guntuku G, Palla MS. Advancements in nanobody generation: Integrating conventional, in silico, and machine learning approaches. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024. [PMID: 39054738 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28816] [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: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Nanobodies, derived from camelids and sharks, offer compact, single-variable heavy-chain antibodies with diverse biomedical potential. This review explores their generation methods, including display techniques on phages, yeast, or bacteria, and computational methodologies. Integrating experimental and computational approaches enhances understanding of nanobody structure and function. Future trends involve leveraging next-generation sequencing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence for efficient candidate selection and predictive modeling. The convergence of traditional and computational methods promises revolutionary advancements in precision biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery and diagnostics. Embracing these technologies accelerates nanobody development, driving transformative breakthroughs in biomedicine and paving the way for precision medicine and biomedical innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Jagadeeswara Reddy
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Division, A.U. College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India
| | - Girijasankar Guntuku
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Division, A.U. College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India
| | - Mary Sulakshana Palla
- GITAM School of Pharmacy, GITAM Deemed to be University, Rushikonda, Visakhapatnam, India
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13
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Rivero MB, Alonso AM, Abdala ME, Luque ME, Carranza PG, Coceres VM, Rivero FD. Comparative membrane proteomic analysis of Tritrichomonas foetus isolates. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17033. [PMID: 39043862 PMCID: PMC11266394 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67827-8] [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: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated and anaerobic parasite able to infect cattle and felines. Despite its prevalence, there is no effective standardized or legal treatment for T. foetus-infected cattle; the vaccination still has limited success in mitigating infections and reducing abortion risk; and nowadays, the diagnosis of T. foetus presents important limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity in bovines. Here, we characterize the plasma membrane proteome of T. foetus and identify proteins that are represented in different isolates of this protozoan. Additionally, we performed a bioinformatic analysis that revealed the antigenicity potential of some of those proteins. This analysis is the first study to identify common proteins at the plasma membrane of different T. foetus isolates that could be targets for alternative diagnostic or vaccine techniques in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria B Rivero
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología (LaBIM), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
| | - Andrés M Alonso
- Laboratorio de Parásitos Anaerobios, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), CONICET-UNSAM, B7130IWA, Chascomús, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maria E Abdala
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología (LaBIM), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía y Agroindustrias (FAyA-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
| | - Melchor E Luque
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología (LaBIM), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía y Agroindustrias (FAyA-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
| | - Pedro G Carranza
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología (LaBIM), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía y Agroindustrias (FAyA-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina
| | - Veronica M Coceres
- Laboratorio de Parásitos Anaerobios, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), CONICET-UNSAM, B7130IWA, Chascomús, Argentina.
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Fernando D Rivero
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Inmunología y Microbiología (LaBIM), Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo (IMSaTeD), CONICET-UNSE, Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (FCM-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
- Facultad de Agronomía y Agroindustrias (FAyA-UNSE), Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
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14
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Masum MHU, Wajed S, Hossain MI, Moumi NR, Talukder A, Rahman MM. An mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer designed by applying in silico immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology approaches. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305413. [PMID: 38976715 PMCID: PMC11230540 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent pancreatic cancer, which is considered a significant global health concern. Chemotherapy and surgery are the mainstays of current pancreatic cancer treatments; however, a few cases are suitable for surgery, and most of the cases will experience recurrent episodes. Compared to DNA or peptide vaccines, mRNA vaccines for pancreatic cancer have more promise because of their delivery, enhanced immune responses, and lower proneness to mutation. We constructed an mRNA vaccine by analyzing S100 family proteins, which are all major activators of receptors for advanced glycation end products. We applied immunoinformatic approaches, including physicochemical properties analysis, structural prediction and validation, molecular docking study, in silico cloning, and immune simulations. The designed mRNA vaccine was estimated to have a molecular weight of 165023.50 Da and was highly soluble (grand average of hydropathicity of -0.440). In the structural assessment, the vaccine seemed to be a well-stable and functioning protein (Z score of -8.94). Also, the docking analysis suggested that the vaccine had a high affinity for TLR-2 and TLR-4 receptors. Additionally, the molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation analysis of the "Vaccine-TLR-2" (-141.07 kcal/mol) and "Vaccine-TLR-4" (-271.72 kcal/mol) complexes also suggests a strong binding affinity for the receptors. Codon optimization also provided a high expression level with a GC content of 47.04% and a codon adaptation index score 1.0. The appearance of memory B-cells and T-cells was also observed over a while, with an increased level of helper T-cells and immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG). Moreover, the minimum free energy of the mRNA vaccine was predicted at -1760.00 kcal/mol, indicating the stability of the vaccine following its entry, transcription, and expression. This hypothetical vaccine offers a groundbreaking tool for future research and therapeutic development of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Habib Ullah Masum
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- Microbiology, Cancer and Bioinformatics Research Group, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Shah Wajed
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- Microbiology, Cancer and Bioinformatics Research Group, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- Infectiology: Biology of Infectious Diseases, Universite Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Md Imam Hossain
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Nusrat Rahman Moumi
- Medical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
| | - Asma Talukder
- Microbiology, Cancer and Bioinformatics Research Group, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Md Mijanur Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- Microbiology, Cancer and Bioinformatics Research Group, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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15
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Yan Z, Kim K, Kim H, Ha B, Gambiez A, Bennett J, de Almeida Mendes M, Trevizani R, Mahita J, Richardson E, Marrama D, Blazeska N, Koşaloğlu-Yalçın Z, Nielsen M, Sette A, Peters B, Greenbaum J. Next-generation IEDB tools: a platform for epitope prediction and analysis. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:W526-W532. [PMID: 38783079 PMCID: PMC11223806 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Next-Generation (NG) IEDB Tools website (https://nextgen-tools.iedb.org) provides users with a redesigned interface to many of the algorithms for epitope prediction and analysis that were originally released on the legacy IEDB Tools website. The initial release focuses on consolidation of all tools related to HLA class I epitopes (MHC binding, elution, immunogenicity, and processing), making all of these predictions accessible from a single application and allowing for their simultaneous execution with minimal user inputs. Additionally, the PEPMatch tool for identifying highly similar epitopes in a set of curated proteomes, as well as a tool for epitope clustering, are available on the site. The NG Tools site allows users to build data pipelines by sending the output of one tool as input for the next. Over the next several years, all pre-existing IEDB Tools, and any newly developed tools, will be integrated into this new site. Here we describe the philosophy behind the redesign and demonstrate the utility and productivity enhancements that are enabled by the new interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yan
- Bioinformatics Core, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kevin Kim
- Information Technology, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Haeuk Kim
- Bioinformatics Core, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Brendan Ha
- Bioinformatics Core, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Anaïs Gambiez
- Bioinformatics Core, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jason Bennett
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Raphael Trevizani
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Fiocruz Ceará, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua São José s/n, Precabura, Eusébio/CE, Brazil
| | - Jarjapu Mahita
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Eve Richardson
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Daniel Marrama
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nina Blazeska
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Morten Nielsen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, B1650 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alessandro Sette
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Bjoern Peters
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jason A Greenbaum
- Bioinformatics Core, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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16
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Kolla HB, Dutt M, Kumar A, Hebbandi Nanjunadappa R, Karakach T, Singh KP, Kelvin D, Clement Mertens PP, Umeshappa CS. Immuno-informatics study identifies conserved T cell epitopes in non-structural proteins of Bluetongue virus serotypes: formulation of a computationally optimized next-generation broad-spectrum multi-epitope vaccine. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1424307. [PMID: 39011043 PMCID: PMC11246920 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1424307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bluetongue (BT) poses a significant threat to the livestock industry, affecting various animal species and resulting in substantial economic losses. The existence of numerous BT virus (BTV) serotypes has hindered control efforts, highlighting the need for broad-spectrum vaccines. Methodology In this study, we evaluated the conserved amino acid sequences within key non-structural (NS) proteins of BTV and identified numerous highly conserved murine- and bovine-specific MHC class I-restricted (MHC-I) CD8+ and MHC-II-restricted CD4+ epitopes. We then screened these conserved epitopes for antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, and solubility. Using these epitopes, we developed in silico-based broad-spectrum multiepitope vaccines with Toll-like receptor (TLR-4) agonists. The predicted proinflammatory cytokine response was assessed in silico using the C-IMMSIM server. Structural modeling and refinement were achieved using Robetta and GalaxyWEB servers. Finally, we assessed the stability of the docking complexes through extensive 100-nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations before considering the vaccines for codon optimization and in silico cloning. Results We found many epitopes that meet these criteria within NS1 and NS2 proteins and developed in silico broad-spectrum vaccines. The immune simulation studies revealed that these vaccines induce high levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the vaccinated groups. Protein-protein docking analysis demonstrated promising epitopes with strong binding affinities to TLR-4. The docked complexes were stable, with minimal Root Mean Square Deviation and Root Mean Square Fluctuation values. Finally, the in silico-cloned plasmids have high % of GC content with > 0.8 codon adaptation index, suggesting they are suitable for expressing the protein vaccines in prokaryotic system. Discussion These next-generation vaccine designs are promising and warrant further investigation in wet lab experiments to assess their immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy for practical application in livestock. Our findings offer a robust framework for developing a comprehensive, broad-spectrum vaccine, potentially revolutionizing BT control and prevention strategies in the livestock industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Babu Kolla
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mansi Dutt
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Anuj Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Roopa Hebbandi Nanjunadappa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Tobias Karakach
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Karam Pal Singh
- Center for Animal Disease Research and Diagnosis, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - David Kelvin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Channakeshava Sokke Umeshappa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Immunology Division, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
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17
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Roy A, Swetha RG, Basu S, Biswas R, Ramaiah S, Anbarasu A. Integrating pan-genome and reverse vaccinology to design multi-epitope vaccine against Herpes simplex virus type-1. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:176. [PMID: 38855144 PMCID: PMC11153438 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), the etiological agent of sporadic encephalitis and recurring oral (sometimes genital) infections in humans, affects millions each year. The evolving viral genome reduces susceptibility to existing antivirals and, thus, necessitates new therapeutic strategies. Immunoinformatics strategies have shown promise in designing novel vaccine candidates in the absence of a clinically licensed vaccine to prevent HSV-1. However, to encourage clinical translation, the HSV-1 pan-genome was integrated with the reverse-vaccinology pipeline for rigorous screening of universal vaccine candidates. Viral targets were screened from 104 available complete genomes. Among 364 proteins, envelope glycoprotein D being an outer membrane protein with a high antigenicity score (> 0.4) and solubility (> 0.6) was selected for epitope screening. A total of 17 T-cell and 4 B-cell epitopes with highly antigenic, immunogenic, non-toxic properties and high global population coverage were identified. Furthermore, 8 vaccine constructs were designed using different combinations of epitopes and suitable linkers. VC-8 was identified as the most potential vaccine candidate regarding chemical and structural stability. Molecular docking revealed high interactive affinity (low binding energy: - 56.25 kcal/mol) of VC-8 with the target elicited by firm intermolecular H-bonds, salt-bridges, and hydrophobic interactions, which was validated with simulations. Compatibility of the vaccine candidate to be expressed in pET-29(a) + plasmid was established by in silico cloning studies. Immune simulations confirmed the potential of VC-8 to trigger robust B-cell, T-cell, cytokine, and antibody-mediated responses, thereby suggesting a promising candidate for the future of HSV-1 prevention. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-024-04022-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Roy
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
- Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Rayapadi G. Swetha
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
- Department of Biosciences, SBST, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Soumya Basu
- Department of Biotechnology, NIST University, Berhampur, Odisha 761008 India
| | - Rhitam Biswas
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
- Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Sudha Ramaiah
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
- Department of Biosciences, SBST, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- Medical and Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
- Department of Biotechnology, SBST, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014 India
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18
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Kaur B, Karnwal A, Bansal A, Malik T. An Immunoinformatic-Based In Silico Identification on the Creation of a Multiepitope-Based Vaccination Against the Nipah Virus. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 2024:4066641. [PMID: 38962403 PMCID: PMC11221950 DOI: 10.1155/2024/4066641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The zoonotic viruses pose significant threats to public health. Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging virus transmitted from bats to humans. The NiV causes severe encephalitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, leading to high mortality rates, with fatality rates ranging from 40% to 75%. The first emergence of the disease was found in Malaysia in 1998-1999 and later in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and other South and Southeast Asian nations. Currently, no specific vaccines or antiviral drugs are available. The potential advantages of epitope-based vaccines include their ability to elicit specific immune responses while minimizing potential side effects. The epitopes have been identified from the conserved region of viral proteins obtained from the UniProt database. The selection of conserved epitopes involves analyzing the genetic sequences of various viral strains. The present study identified two B cell epitopes, seven cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, and seven helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitope interactions from the NiV proteomic inventory. The antigenic and physiological properties of retrieved protein were analyzed using online servers ToxinPred, VaxiJen v2.0, and AllerTOP. The final vaccine candidate has a total combined coverage range of 80.53%. The tertiary structure of the constructed vaccine was optimized, and its stability was confirmed with the help of molecular simulation. Molecular docking was performed to check the binding affinity and binding energy of the constructed vaccine with TLR-3 and TLR-5. Codon optimization was performed in the constructed vaccine within the Escherichia coli K12 strain, to eliminate the danger of codon bias. However, these findings must require further validation to assess their effectiveness and safety. The development of vaccines and therapeutic approaches for virus infection is an ongoing area of research, and it may take time before effective interventions are available for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beant Kaur
- School of Bioengineering and BiosciencesLovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
| | - Arun Karnwal
- School of Bioengineering and BiosciencesLovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
| | - Anu Bansal
- School of Bioengineering and BiosciencesLovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
| | - Tabarak Malik
- Department of Biomedical SciencesInstitute of HealthJimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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19
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Braz JDM, Batista MVDA. Immunoinformatics-Based Design of Multi-epitope DNA and mRNA Vaccines Against Zika Virus. Bioinform Biol Insights 2024; 18:11779322241257037. [PMID: 38827811 PMCID: PMC11143849 DOI: 10.1177/11779322241257037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we used an immunoinformatics approach to predict antigenic epitopes of Zika virus (ZIKV) proteins to assist in designing a vaccine antigen against ZIKV. We performed the prediction of CD8+ T-lymphocyte and antigenic B-cell epitopes of ZIKV proteins. The binding interactions of T-cell epitopes with major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) proteins were assessed. We selected the antigenic, conserved, nontoxic, and immunogenic epitopes, which indicated significant interactions with the human leucocyte antigen (HLA-A and HLA-B) alleles and worldwide population coverage of 76.35%. The predicted epitopes were joined with the help of linkers and an adjuvant. The vaccine antigen was then analyzed through molecular docking with TLR3 and TLR8, and it was in silico cloned in the pVAX1 vector to be used as a DNA vaccine and designed as a mRNA vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juciene de Matos Braz
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius de Aragão Batista
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology (GMBio), Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
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20
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Wang L, Sun F, Li Q, Ma H, Zhong J, Zhang H, Cheng S, Wu H, Zhao Y, Wang N, Xie Z, Zhao M, Zhu P, Zheng H. CytoSIP: an annotated structural atlas for interactions involving cytokines or cytokine receptors. Commun Biol 2024; 7:630. [PMID: 38789577 PMCID: PMC11126726 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06289-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic agents targeting cytokine-cytokine receptor (CK-CKR) interactions lead to the disruption in cellular signaling and are effective in treating many diseases including tumors. However, a lack of universal and quick access to annotated structural surface regions on CK/CKR has limited the progress of a structure-driven approach in developing targeted macromolecular drugs and precision medicine therapeutics. Herein we develop CytoSIP (Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), Interface, and Phenotype), a rich internet application based on a database of atomic interactions around hotspots in experimentally determined CK/CKR structural complexes. CytoSIP contains: (1) SNPs on CK/CKR; (2) interactions involving CK/CKR domains, including CK/CKR interfaces, oligomeric interfaces, epitopes, or other drug targeting surfaces; and (3) diseases and phenotypes associated with CK/CKR or SNPs. The database framework introduces a unique tri-level SIP data model to bridge genetic variants (atomic level) to disease phenotypes (organism level) using protein structure (complexes) as an underlying framework (molecule level). Customized screening tools are implemented to retrieve relevant CK/CKR subset, which reduces the time and resources needed to interrogate large datasets involving CK/CKR surface hotspots and associated pathologies. CytoSIP portal is publicly accessible at https://CytoSIP.biocloud.top , facilitating the panoramic investigation of the context-dependent crosstalk between CK/CKR and the development of targeted therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Cardiac Pathogenesis and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
| | - Fang Sun
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410006, China
| | - Qianying Li
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Haojie Ma
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Juanhong Zhong
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Huihui Zhang
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Siyi Cheng
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Cardiac Pathogenesis and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Cardiac Pathogenesis and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China
| | - Yanmin Zhao
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Nasui Wang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 57 Changping Road, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Zhongqiu Xie
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Mingyi Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410006, China.
| | - Ping Zhu
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Cardiac Pathogenesis and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510100, China.
| | - Heping Zheng
- Bioinformatics Center, Hunan University College of Biology, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China.
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21
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Akter A, Ananna NF, Ullah H, Islam S, Al Amin M, Kibria KMK, Mahmud S. Computational approach for identifying immunogenic epitopes and optimizing peptide vaccine through in-silico cloning against Mycoplasma genitalium. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28223. [PMID: 38596014 PMCID: PMC11002066 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28223] [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] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma genitalium is a pathogenic microorganism linked to a variety of severe health conditions including ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, HIV transmission, and sexually transmitted diseases. A more effective approach to address the challenges posed by this pathogen, given its high antibiotic resistance rates, could be the development of a peptide vaccine. In this study, we used experimentally validated 13 membrane proteins and their immunogenicity to identify suitable vaccine candidates. Thus, based on immunogenic properties and high conservation among other Mycoplasma genitalium sub-strains, the P110 surface protein is considered for further investigation. Later on, we identified T-cell epitopes and B-cell epitopes from the P110 protein to construct a multiepitope-based vaccine. As a result, the 'NIAPISFSFTPFTAA' T-cell epitope and 'KVKYESSGSNNISFDS' B-cell epitope have shown 99.53% and 87.50% population coverage along with 100% conservancy among the subspecies, and both epitopes were found to be non-allergenic. Furthermore, focusing on molecular docking analysis showed the lowest binding energy for MHC-I (-137.5 kcal/mol) and MHC-II (-183.3 kcal/mol), leading to a satisfactory binding strength between the T-cell epitopes and the MHC molecules. However, the constructed multiepitope vaccine (MEV) consisting of 54 amino acids demonstrates favorable characteristics for a vaccine candidate, including a theoretical pI of 4.25 with a scaled solubility of 0.812 and high antigenicity probabilities. Additionally, structural analyses reveal that the MEV displays substantial alpha helices and extended strands, vital for its immunogenicity. Molecular docking with the human Toll-like receptors TLR1/2 heterodimer shows strong binding affinity, reinforcing its potential to elicit an immune response. Our immune simulation analysis demonstrates immune memory development and robust immunity, while codon adaptation suggests optimal expression in E. coli using the pET-28a(+) vector. These findings collectively highlight the MEV's potential as a valuable vaccine candidate against M. genitalium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Akter
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Natasha Farhin Ananna
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Hedayet Ullah
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Sirajul Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Md Al Amin
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - K M Kaderi Kibria
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Shahin Mahmud
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
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22
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Alsaiari AA, Hakami MA, Alotaibi BS, Alkhalil SS, Hazazi A, Alkhorayef N, Jalal K, Yasmin F. Rational design of multi-epitope-based vaccine by exploring all dengue virus serotypes proteome: an immunoinformatic approach. Immunol Res 2024; 72:242-259. [PMID: 37880483 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-023-09429-6] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Millions of people's lives are being devastated by dengue virus (DENV), a severe tropical and subtropical illness spread by mosquitoes and other vectors. Dengue fever may be self-limiting like a common cold or can rapidly progress to catastrophic dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. With four distinct dengue serotypes (DENV1-4), each with the potential to contain antibody-boosting complicated mechanisms, developing a dengue vaccine has been an ambitious challenge. Here, we used a computational pan-vaccinomics-based vaccine design strategy (reverse vaccinology) for all 4 DENV serotypes acquired from different regions of the world to develop a new and safe vaccine against DENV. Consequently, only five mapped epitopes from all the 4 serotypes were shown to be extremely effective for the construction of multi-epitope vaccine constructs. The suggested vaccine construct V5 from eight vaccine models was thus classified as an antigenic, non-allergenic, and stable vaccine model. Moreover, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation was performed for the V5 vaccine candidate against the HLAs and TRL2 and 4 immunological receptors. Later, the vaccine sequence was transcribed into the cDNA to generate an expression vector for the Escherichia coli K12 strain. Our research suggests that this vaccine design (V5) has promising potential as a dengue vaccine. However, further experimental analysis into the vaccine's efficacy might be required for the V5 proper validation to combat all DENV serotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahad Amer Alsaiari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ageeli Hakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 15572, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bader S Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 15572, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samia S Alkhalil
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 15572, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Hazazi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Security Forces Hospital Program, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada Alkhorayef
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 15572, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
- Department of Mental Health and Public Health, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advance Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Farzana Yasmin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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23
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Lin Y, Ma J, Yuan H, Chen Z, Xu X, Jiang M, Zhu J, Meng W, Qiu W, Liu Y. Integrating Reinforcement Learning and Monte Carlo Tree Search for enhanced neoantigen vaccine design. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae247. [PMID: 38770719 PMCID: PMC11107383 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have highlighted the potential of neoantigen-based vaccines. However, the design of such vaccines is hindered by the possibility of weak binding affinity between the peptides and the patient's specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, which may not elicit a robust adaptive immune response. Triggering cross-immunity by utilizing peptide mutations that have enhanced binding affinity to target HLA molecules, while preserving their homology with the original one, can be a promising avenue for neoantigen vaccine design. In this study, we introduced UltraMutate, a novel algorithm that combines Reinforcement Learning and Monte Carlo Tree Search, which identifies peptide mutations that not only exhibit enhanced binding affinities to target HLA molecules but also retains a high degree of homology with the original neoantigen. UltraMutate outperformed existing state-of-the-art methods in identifying affinity-enhancing mutations in an independent test set consisting of 3660 peptide-HLA pairs. UltraMutate further showed its applicability in the design of peptide vaccines for Human Papillomavirus and Human Cytomegalovirus, demonstrating its potential as a promising tool in the advancement of personalized immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicheng Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiakang Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haozhe Yuan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ziqiang Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xingyu Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mengping Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jialiang Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weida Meng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wenqing Qiu
- Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, 366 North Longchuan Road, Shanghai, 200231, China
| | - Yun Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
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24
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Thrift WJ, Perera J, Cohen S, Lounsbury NW, Gurung HR, Rose CM, Chen J, Jhunjhunwala S, Liu K. Graph-pMHC: graph neural network approach to MHC class II peptide presentation and antibody immunogenicity. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae123. [PMID: 38555476 PMCID: PMC10981672 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae123] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Antigen presentation on MHC class II (pMHCII presentation) plays an essential role in the adaptive immune response to extracellular pathogens and cancerous cells. But it can also reduce the efficacy of large-molecule drugs by triggering an anti-drug response. Significant progress has been made in pMHCII presentation modeling due to the collection of large-scale pMHC mass spectrometry datasets (ligandomes) and advances in machine learning. Here, we develop graph-pMHC, a graph neural network approach to predict pMHCII presentation. We derive adjacency matrices for pMHCII using Alphafold2-multimer and address the peptide-MHC binding groove alignment problem with a simple graph enumeration strategy. We demonstrate that graph-pMHC dramatically outperforms methods with suboptimal inductive biases, such as the multilayer-perceptron-based NetMHCIIpan-4.0 (+20.17% absolute average precision). Finally, we create an antibody drug immunogenicity dataset from clinical trial data and develop a method for measuring anti-antibody immunogenicity risk using pMHCII presentation models. Our model increases receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC)-area under the ROC curve (AUC) by 2.57% compared to just filtering peptides by hits in OASis alone for predicting antibody drug immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Perera
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | - Sivan Cohen
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | | | - Hem R Gurung
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | | | - Jieming Chen
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
| | | | - Kai Liu
- Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA
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25
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Chen M, Zhang X, Ming Z, Lingyu, Feng X, Han Z, An HX. Characterizing and forecasting neoantigens-resulting from MUC mutations in COAD. J Transl Med 2024; 22:315. [PMID: 38539235 PMCID: PMC10967086 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05103-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The treatment for colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) faces challenges in terms of immunotherapy effectiveness due to multiple factors. Because of the high tumor specificity and immunogenicity, neoantigen has been considered a pivotal target for cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, this study aims to identify and predict the potential tumor antigens of MUC somatic mutations (MUCmut) in COAD. METHODS Three databases of TCGA, TIMER2.0, and cBioPortal were used for a detailed evaluation of the association between MUCmut and multi-factors like tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), prognosis, and the tumor microenvironment within the context of total 2242 COAD patients. Next, TSNAdb and the differential agretopicity index (DAI) were utilized to predict high-confidence neopeptides for MUCmut based on 531 COAD patients' genomic information. DAI was calculated by subtraction of its predicted HLA binding affinity of the MUCmut peptide from the corresponding wild-type peptide. RESULTS The top six mutation frequencies (14 to 2.9%) were from MUC16, MUC17, MUC5B, MUC2, MUC4 and MUC6. COAD patients with MUC16 and MUC4 mutations had longer DFS and PFS. However, patients with MUC13 and MUC20 mutations had shorter OS. Patients with the mutation of MUC16, MUC5B, MUC2, MUC4, and MUC6 exhibited higher TMB and MSI. Moreover, these mutations from the MUC family were associated with the infiltration of diverse lymphocyte cells and the expression of immune checkpoint genes. Through TSNAdb 1.0/NetMHCpan v2.8, 452 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of MUCmut peptides were identified. Moreover, through TSNAdb2.0/NetMHCpan v4.0, 57 SNVs, 1 Q-frame shift (TS), and 157 short insertions/deletions (INDELs) of MUCmut were identified. Finally, 10 high-confidence neopeptides of MUCmut were predicted by DAI. CONCLUSIONS Together, our findings establish the immunogenicity and therapeutic potential of mutant MUC family-derived neoantigens. Through combining the tools of TSNAdb and DAI, a group of novel MUCmut neoantigens were identified as potential targets for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Clinical Central Research Core, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
| | - Xin Zhang
- The Center Laboratory, Shanghai Medical College, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Affiliated) of Fudan University, Fudan University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zihe Ming
- Cancer Center and Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, School of Medicine, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lingyu
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Xiaorong Feng
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Shantou University, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenguo Han
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Han-Xiang An
- Clinical Central Research Core, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
- The Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
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26
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Bricio-Moreno L, Barreto de Albuquerque J, Neary JM, Nguyen T, Kuhn LF, Yeung Y, Hastie KM, Landeras-Bueno S, Olmedillas E, Hariharan C, Nathan A, Getz MA, Gayton AC, Khatri A, Gaiha GD, Ollmann Saphire E, Luster AD, Moon JJ. Identification of mouse CD4 + T cell epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 spike and nucleocapsid for use in peptide:MHCII tetramers. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1329846. [PMID: 38529279 PMCID: PMC10961420 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1329846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding adaptive immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is a major requisite for the development of effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. CD4+ T cells play an integral role in this process primarily by generating antiviral cytokines and providing help to antibody-producing B cells. To empower detailed studies of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cell responses in mouse models, we comprehensively mapped I-Ab-restricted epitopes for the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of the BA.1 variant of concern via IFNγ ELISpot assay. This was followed by the generation of corresponding peptide:MHCII tetramer reagents to directly stain epitope-specific T cells. Using this rigorous validation strategy, we identified 6 immunogenic epitopes in spike and 3 in nucleocapsid, all of which are conserved in the ancestral Wuhan strain. We also validated a previously identified epitope from Wuhan that is absent in BA.1. These epitopes and tetramers will be invaluable tools for SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific CD4+ T cell studies in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bricio-Moreno
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Juliana Barreto de Albuquerque
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jake M. Neary
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Thao Nguyen
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lucy F. Kuhn
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - YeePui Yeung
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Hastie
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sara Landeras-Bueno
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Eduardo Olmedillas
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Chitra Hariharan
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Anusha Nathan
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew A. Getz
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Alton C. Gayton
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Ashok Khatri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Endocrine Division, MGH, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Gaurav D. Gaiha
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Division of Gastroenterology, MGH, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erica Ollmann Saphire
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrew D. Luster
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James J. Moon
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, MGH, Boston, MA, United States
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27
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Franciskovic E, Thörnqvist L, Greiff L, Gasset M, Ohlin M. Linear epitopes of bony fish β-parvalbumins. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1293793. [PMID: 38504976 PMCID: PMC10948427 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1293793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fish β-parvalbumins are common targets of allergy-causing immunity. The nature of antibody responses to such allergens determines the biological outcome following exposure to fish. Specific epitopes on these allergens recognised by antibodies are incompletely characterised. Methods High-content peptide microarrays offer a solution to the identification of linear epitopes recognised by antibodies. We characterized IgG and IgG4 recognition of linear epitopes of fish β-parvalbumins defined in the WHO/IUIS allergen database as such responses hold the potential to counter an allergic reaction to these allergens. Peripheral blood samples, collected over three years, of 15 atopic but not fish-allergic subjects were investigated using a microarray platform that carried every possible 16-mer peptide of known isoforms and isoallergens of these and other allergens. Results Interindividual differences in epitope recognition patterns were observed. In contrast, reactivity patterns in a given individual were by comparison more stable during the 3 years-course of the study. Nevertheless, evidence of the induction of novel specificities over time was identified across multiple regions of the allergens. Particularly reactive epitopes were identified in the D helix of Cyp c 1 and in the C-terminus of Gad c 1 and Gad m 1.02. Residues important for the recognition of certain linear epitopes were identified. Patterns of differential recognition of isoallergens were observed in some subjects. Conclusions Altogether, comprehensive analysis of antibody recognition of linear epitopes of multiple allergens enables characterisation of the nature of the antibody responses targeting this important set of food allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lennart Greiff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Gasset
- Institute of Physical-Chemistry Blas Cabrera, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mats Ohlin
- Department of Immunotechnology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- SciLifeLab, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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28
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Alawam AS, Alwethaynani MS. Construction of an aerolysin-based multi-epitope vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila: an in silico machine learning and artificial intelligence-supported approach. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1369890. [PMID: 38495891 PMCID: PMC10940347 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Aeromonas hydrophila, a gram-negative coccobacillus bacterium, can cause various infections in humans, including septic arthritis, diarrhea (traveler's diarrhea), gastroenteritis, skin and wound infections, meningitis, fulminating septicemia, enterocolitis, peritonitis, and endocarditis. It frequently occurs in aquatic environments and readily contacts humans, leading to high infection rates. This bacterium has exhibited resistance to numerous commercial antibiotics, and no vaccine has yet been developed. Aiming to combat the alarmingly high infection rate, this study utilizes in silico techniques to design a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV) candidate against this bacterium based on its aerolysin toxin, which is the most toxic and highly conserved virulence factor among the Aeromonas species. After retrieval, aerolysin was processed for B-cell and T-cell epitope mapping. Once filtered for toxicity, antigenicity, allergenicity, and solubility, the chosen epitopes were combined with an adjuvant and specific linkers to create a vaccine construct. These linkers and the adjuvant enhance the MEV's ability to elicit robust immune responses. Analyses of the predicted and improved vaccine structure revealed that 75.5%, 19.8%, and 1.3% of its amino acids occupy the most favored, additional allowed, and generously allowed regions, respectively, while its ERRAT score reached nearly 70%. Docking simulations showed the MEV exhibiting the highest interaction and binding energies (-1,023.4 kcal/mol, -923.2 kcal/mol, and -988.3 kcal/mol) with TLR-4, MHC-I, and MHC-II receptors. Further molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the docked complexes' remarkable stability and maximum interactions, i.e., uniform RMSD, fluctuated RMSF, and lowest binding net energy. In silico models also predict the vaccine will stimulate a variety of immunological pathways following administration. These analyses suggest the vaccine's efficacy in inducing robust immune responses against A. hydrophila. With high solubility and no predicted allergic responses or toxicity, it appears safe for administration in both healthy and A. hydrophila-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah S. Alawam
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maher S. Alwethaynani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Al-Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia
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29
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Chao P, Zhang X, Zhang L, Yang A, Wang Y, Chen X. Proteomics-based vaccine targets annotation and design of multi-epitope vaccine against antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus gallolyticus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4836. [PMID: 38418560 PMCID: PMC10901886 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55372-3] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus gallolyticus is a non-motile, gram-positive bacterium that causes infective endocarditis. S. gallolyticus has developed resistance to existing antibiotics, and no vaccine is currently available. Therefore, it is essential to develop an effective S. gallolyticus vaccine. Core proteomics was used in this study together with subtractive proteomics and reverse vaccinology approach to find antigenic proteins that could be utilized for the design of the S. gallolyticus multi-epitope vaccine. The pipeline identified two antigenic proteins as potential vaccine targets: penicillin-binding protein and the ATP synthase subunit. T and B cell epitopes from the specific proteins were forecasted employing several immunoinformatics and bioinformatics resources. A vaccine (360 amino acids) was created using a combination of seven cytotoxic T cell lymphocyte (CTL), three helper T cell lymphocyte (HTL), and five linear B cell lymphocyte (LBL) epitopes. To increase immune responses, the vaccine was paired with a cholera enterotoxin subunit B (CTB) adjuvant. The developed vaccine was highly antigenic, non-allergenic, and stable for human use. The vaccine's binding affinity and molecular interactions with the human immunological receptor TLR4 were studied using molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MMGBSA), molecular docking, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation analyses. Escherichia coli (strain K12) plasmid vector pET-28a ( +) was used to examine the ability of the vaccine to be expressed. According to the outcomes of these computer experiments, the vaccine is quite promising in terms of developing a protective immunity against diseases. However, in vitro and animal research are required to validate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chao
- Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Xueqin Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Aiping Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Xiaoyang Chen
- Department of Cardiology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China.
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30
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Fatima I, Alshabrmi FM, Aziz T, Alamri AS, Alhomrani M, Alghamdi S, Alghuraybi RA, Babalghith AO, Bamagous GA, Alhindi Z, Dablool AS, Alhhazmi AA, Alruways MW. Revolutionizing and identifying novel drug targets in Citrobacter koseri via subtractive proteomics and development of a multi-epitope vaccine using reverse vaccinology and immuno-informatics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38407210 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2316762] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Citrobacter koseri is a gram-negative rod that has been linked to infections in people with significant comorbidities and immunocompromised immune systems. It is most commonly known to cause urinary tract infections. Thus, the development of an efficacious C. koseri vaccine is imperative, as the pathogen has acquired resistance to current antibiotics. Subtractive proteomics was employed during this research to identify potential antigenic proteins to design an effective vaccine against C. koseri. The pipeline identified two antigenic proteins as potential vaccine targets: DP-3-O-acyl-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase and Arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase. B and T cell epitopes from the specific proteins were forecasted employing several immunoinformatic and bioinformatics resources. A vaccine was created using a combination of seven cytotoxic T cell lymphocytes (CTL), five helper T cell lymphocyte (HTL), and seven linear B cell lymphocyte (LBL) epitopes. An adjuvant (β-defensin) was added to the vaccine to enhance immunological responses. The created vaccine was stable for use in humans, highly antigenic, and non-allergenic. The vaccine's molecular and interactions binding affinity with the human immunological receptor TLR3 were studied using MMGBSA, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and molecular docking analyses. E. coli (strain-K12) plasmid vector pET-28a (+) was used to examine the ability of the vaccine to be expressed. The vaccine shows great promise in terms of developing protective immunity against diseases, based on the results of these computer experiments. However, in vitro and animal research are required to validate our findings.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israr Fatima
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, China
| | - Fahad M Alshabrmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Laboratory of Animal Health, Food Hygiene, and Quality, Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Arta, Greece
| | - Abdulhakeem S Alamri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majid Alhomrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reem Ahmad Alghuraybi
- Laboratory and Blood Bank Department, Alnoor Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health Makkah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad O Babalghith
- Medical Genetics Department College of Medicine Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ghazi A Bamagous
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zain Alhindi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anas S Dablool
- Public health Department, Health Sciences College at Al-Leith، Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej A Alhhazmi
- Medical Laboratories Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael W Alruways
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
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31
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Elshafei SO, Mahmoud NA, Almofti YA. Immunoinformatics, molecular docking and dynamics simulation approaches unveil a multi epitope-based potent peptide vaccine candidate against avian leukosis virus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2870. [PMID: 38311642 PMCID: PMC10838928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53048-6] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphoid leukosis is a poultry neoplastic disease caused by avian leukosis virus (ALV) and is characterized by high morbidity and variable mortality rates in chicks. Currently, no effective treatment and vaccination is the only means to control it. This study exploited the immunoinformatics approaches to construct multi-epitope vaccine against ALV. ABCpred and IEDB servers were used to predict B and T lymphocytes epitopes from the viral proteins, respectively. Antigenicity, allergenicity and toxicity of the epitopes were assessed and used to construct the vaccine with suitable adjuvant and linkers. Secondary and tertiary structures of the vaccine were predicted, refined and validated. Structural errors, solubility, stability, immune simulation, dynamic simulation, docking and in silico cloning were also evaluated.The constructed vaccine was hydrophilic, antigenic and non-allergenic. Ramchandran plot showed most of the residues in the favored and additional allowed regions. ProsA server showed no errors in the vaccine structure. Immune simulation showed significant immunoglobulins and cytokines levels. Stability was enhanced by disulfide engineering and molecular dynamic simulation. Docking of the vaccine with chicken's TLR7 revealed competent binding energies.The vaccine was cloned in pET-30a(+) vector and efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli. This study provided a potent peptide vaccine that could assist in tailoring a rapid and cost-effective vaccine that helps to combat ALV. However, experimental validation is required to assess the vaccine efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siham O Elshafei
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, National University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Nuha A Mahmoud
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, National University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Yassir A Almofti
- Department of Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bahri, P.O. Box 1660, Khartoum, Sudan.
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32
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Dhanushkumar T, Selvam PK, M E S, Vasudevan K, C GPD, Zayed H, Kamaraj B. Rational design of a multivalent vaccine targeting arthropod-borne viruses using reverse vaccinology strategies. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:128753. [PMID: 38104690 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128753] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Viruses transmitted by arthropods, such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya, represent substantial worldwide health threats, particularly in countries like India. The lack of approved vaccines and effective antiviral therapies calls for developing innovative strategies to tackle these arboviruses. In this study, we employed immunoinformatics methodologies, incorporating reverse vaccinology, to design a multivalent vaccine targeting the predominant arboviruses. Epitopes of B and T cells were recognized within the non-structural proteins of Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses. The predicted epitopes were enhanced with adjuvants β-defensin and RS-09 to boost the vaccine's immunogenicity. Sixteen distinct vaccine candidates were constructed, each incorporating epitopes from all three viruses. FUVAC-11 emerged as the most promising vaccine candidate through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, demonstrating favorable binding interactions and stability. Its effectiveness was further evaluated using computational immunological studies confirming strong immune responses. The in silico cloning performed using the pET-28a(+) plasmid facilitates the future experimental implementation of this vaccine candidate, paving the way for potential advancements in combating these significant arboviral threats. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to confirm the results obtained in this computational study, which highlights the effectiveness of immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology in creating vaccines against major Arboviruses, offering a promising model for developing vaccines for other vector-borne diseases and enhancing global health security.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Dhanushkumar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Prasanna Kumar Selvam
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Santhosh M E
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru 560064, India
| | - Karthick Vasudevan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru 560064, India.
| | - George Priya Doss C
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India.
| | - Hatem Zayed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Balu Kamaraj
- Department of Dental Education, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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Sette A, Sidney J, Grifoni A. Pre-existing SARS-2-specific T cells are predicted to cross-recognize BA.2.86. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:19-24.e2. [PMID: 38070502 PMCID: PMC10843579 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Effective monitoring of evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants requires understanding the potential effect of mutations on immune evasion. Here, we predicted the impact of BA.2.86-associated mutations on SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses. First, evaluating the effect on known experimentally defined T cell epitopes, we found that 72% and 89% of the total SARS-CoV-2 CD4 and CD8 responses were 100% conserved, with lower rates (56% and 72%) for just spike, a major structural protein. Among the mutated spike epitopes, however, 96% and 62% still bound the same reported HLA-restricting alleles. Additional prediction analyses comparing the ancestral and BA.2 sequences with BA.2.86 mutations identified several potentially novel BA.2.86 epitopes. By simulating exposure with BA.2, the large number of epitopes conserved with BA.2.86 suggests that variant-specific epitopes induced following breakthrough infection or bivalent vaccination can bridge the gap between ancestral immunization and upcoming circulating variants, allowing for a more stable T cell response across viral evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Sette
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - John Sidney
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Alba Grifoni
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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34
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Marques PH, Tiwari S, Felice AG, Jaiswal AK, Aburjaile FF, Azevedo V, Silva-Vergara ML, Ferreira-Paim K, Soares SDC, Fonseca FM. Design of a Multi-Epitope Vaccine against Histoplasma capsulatum through Immunoinformatics Approaches. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:43. [PMID: 38248954 PMCID: PMC10817582 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010043] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Histoplasmosis is a widespread systemic disease caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, prevalent in the Americas. Despite its significant morbidity and mortality rates, no vaccines are currently available. Previously, five vaccine targets and specific epitopes for H. capsulatum were identified. Immunoinformatics has emerged as a novel approach for determining the main immunogenic components of antigens through in silico methods. Therefore, we predicted the main helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes and B-cell epitopes for these targets to create a potential multi-epitope vaccine known as HistoVAC-TSFM. A total of 38 epitopes were found: 23 common to CTL and B-cell responses, 11 linked to HTL and B cells, and 4 previously validated epitopes associated with the B subunit of cholera toxin, a potent adjuvant. In silico evaluations confirmed the stability, non-toxicity, non-allergenicity, and non-homology of these vaccines with the host. Notably, the vaccine exhibited the potential to trigger both innate and adaptive immune responses, likely involving the TLR4 pathway, as supported by 3D modeling and molecular docking. The designed HistoVAC-TSFM appears promising against Histoplasma, with the ability to induce important cytokines, such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL17, and IL6. Future studies could be carried out to test the vaccine's efficacy in in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Henrique Marques
- Postgraduate Interunits Program in Bioinformatics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (P.H.M.); (A.K.J.)
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Sandeep Tiwari
- Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40170-115, Brazil;
- Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40170-115, Brazil
| | - Andrei Giacchetto Felice
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38015-050, Brazil; (A.G.F.); (S.d.C.S.)
| | - Arun Kumar Jaiswal
- Postgraduate Interunits Program in Bioinformatics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (P.H.M.); (A.K.J.)
| | - Flávia Figueira Aburjaile
- Department of Preventive Veterinary, Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Mario León Silva-Vergara
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38025-440, Brazil;
| | - Kennio Ferreira-Paim
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38015-050, Brazil; (A.G.F.); (S.d.C.S.)
| | - Siomar de Castro Soares
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38015-050, Brazil; (A.G.F.); (S.d.C.S.)
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Di Ianni A, Fraone T, Balestra P, Cowan K, Riccardi Sirtori F, Barbero L. Assessing MAPPs assay as a tool to predict the immunogenicity potential of protein therapeutics. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302095. [PMID: 37833075 PMCID: PMC10576005 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
MHC-II-associated peptide proteomics (MAPPs) is a mass spectrometry-based (MS) method to identify naturally presented MHC-II-associated peptides that could elicit CD4+T cell activation. MAPPs assay is considered one of the assays that better characterize the safety of biotherapeutics by driving the selection of the best candidates concerning their immunogenicity risk. However, there is little knowledge about the impact of bead material on the recovery of MHC-II MS-eluted ligands in MAPPs assays. Here, we firstly describe a robust MAPPs protocol by implementing streptavidin magnetic beads for the isolation of these peptides instead of commonly used NHS-activated beads. Moreover, we assessed the impact of the cell medium used for cell cultures on the morphology and recovery of the in vitro-generated APCs, and its potential implications in the amount of MHC-II isolated peptides. We also described an example of a MAPPs assay application to investigate drug-induced immunogenicity of two bispecific antibodies and compared them with monospecific trastuzumab IgG1 control. This work highlighted the importance of MAPPs in the preclinical in vitro strategy to mitigate the immunogenicity risk of biotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Di Ianni
- https://ror.org/048tbm396 Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tiziana Fraone
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Piercesare Balestra
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kyra Cowan
- New Biological Entities, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (NBE-DMPK), Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Federico Riccardi Sirtori
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Luca Barbero
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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Caoili SEC. B-Cell Epitope Prediction for Antipeptide Paratopes with the HAPTIC2/HEPTAD User Toolkit (HUT). Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2821:9-32. [PMID: 38997477 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3914-6_2] [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] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
B-cell epitope prediction is key to developing peptide-based vaccines and immunodiagnostics along with antibodies for prophylactic, therapeutic and/or diagnostic use. This entails estimating paratope binding affinity for variable-length peptidic sequences subject to constraints on both paratope accessibility and antigen conformational flexibility, as described herein for the HAPTIC2/HEPTAD User Toolkit (HUT). HUT comprises the Heuristic Affinity Prediction Tool for Immune Complexes 2 (HAPTIC2), the HAPTIC2-like Epitope Prediction Tool for Antigen with Disulfide (HEPTAD) and the HAPTIC2/HEPTAD Input Preprocessor (HIP). HIP enables tagging of residues (e.g., in hydrophobic blobs, ordered regions and glycosylation motifs) for exclusion from downstream analyses by HAPTIC2 and HEPTAD. HAPTIC2 estimates paratope binding affinity for disulfide-free disordered peptidic antigens (by analogy between flexible-ligand docking and protein folding), from terms attributed to compaction (in view of sequence length, charge and temperature-dependent polyproline-II helical propensity), collapse (disfavored by residue bulkiness) and contact (with glycine and proline regarded as polar residues that hydrogen bond with paratopes). HEPTAD analyzes antigen sequences that each contain two cysteine residues for which the impact of disulfide pairing is estimated as a correction to the free-energy penalty of compaction. All of HUT is freely accessible online ( https://freeshell.de/~badong/hut.htm ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Eugenio C Caoili
- Biomedical Innovations Research for Translational Health Science (BIRTHS) Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila, Philippines.
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Almanaa TN. Design of a novel multi-epitopes vaccine against Escherichia fergusonii: a pan-proteome based in- silico approach. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1332378. [PMID: 38143752 PMCID: PMC10739491 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1332378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Escherichia fergusonii a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium in the Enterobacteriaceae family, infect humans, causing serious illnesses such as urinary tract infection, cystitis, biliary tract infection, pneumonia, meningitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and death. Initially treatable with penicillin, antibiotic misuse led to evolving resistance, including resistance to colistin, a last-resort drug. With no licensed vaccine, the study aimed to design a multi-epitope vaccine against E. fergusonii. The study started with the retrieval of the complete proteome of all known strains and proceeded to filter the surface exposed virulent proteins. Seventeen virulent proteins (4 extracellular, 4 outer membranes, 9 periplasmic) with desirable physicochemical properties were identified from the complete proteome of known strains. Further, these proteins were processed for B-cell and T-cell epitope mapping. Obtained epitopes were evaluated for antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, MHC-binding, and toxicity and the filtered epitopes were fused by specific linkers and an adjuvant into a vaccine construct. Structure of the vaccine candidate was predicted and refined resulting in 78.1% amino acids in allowed regions and VERIFY3D score of 81%. Vaccine construct was docked with TLR-4, MHC-I, and MHC-II, showing binding energies of -1040.8 kcal/mol, -871.4 kcal/mol, and -1154.6 kcal/mol and maximum interactions. Further, molecular dynamic simulation of the docked complexes was carried out resulting in a significant stable nature of the docked complexes (high B-factor and deformability values, lower Eigen and high variance values) in terms of intermolecular binding conformation and interactions. The vaccine was also reported to stimulate a variety of immunological pathways after administration. In short, the designed vaccine revealed promising predictions about its immune protective potential against E. fergusonii infections however experimental validation is needed to validate the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taghreed N. Almanaa
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Khan S, Irfan M, Hameed AR, Ullah A, Abideen SA, Ahmad S, Haq MU, El Bakri Y, Al-Harbi AI, Ali M, Haleem A. Vaccinomics to design a multi-epitope-based vaccine against monkeypox virus using surface-associated proteins. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10859-10868. [PMID: 36533379 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2158942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In 2022, the ongoing multi-country outbreak of monkeypox virus-now occurring outside Africa, too is a global health concern. Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus, which causes disease mainly in animals, and then it is transferred to humans. Recently, in the monkeypox epidemic, a large number of human cases emerged while the global health community worked to tackle the outbreak and save lives. Herein, a multi-epitope-based vaccine is designed against monkeypox virus using two surface-associated proteins: MPXVgp002 accession number > YP_010377003.1 and MPXVgp008 accession number > YP_010377007.1 proteins. These proteins were utilized for B- and T-cell epitopes prediction. The epitopes were further screened, and the screen filtered KCKDNEYRSR, RSCNTTHNR, and RTRRETGAS with the antigenicity scores of 0.5279, 0.5604, and 0.7628, respectively. Overall, the epitopes can induce immunity in 99.74% population of the world. Further, GPGPG linkers were used for joining the epitopes and EAAAK linker was used for adjuvant attachment. It has a three-dimensional structure modelled for retaining the structural stability. Three pairs of amino acid residues that were able to make disulfide bonds were chosen: Gly1-Ser82, Cys7-Tyr10, and Phe51-Ile55. Molecular docking of vaccine was done with toll-like receptors, viz., 2, 3, 4, and 8 immune cell receptors. The docking results revealed that the vaccine as potential molecule due to its better binding affinity with toll-like receptors 2, 3, 4 and 8. Top complex in docking in with each receptor was selected based on lowest energy scores- -888.7 kcal/mol (TLR-2), -976.3 kcal/mol (TLR-3), -801.9 kcal/mol (TLR-4), and -955.4 kcal/mol (TLR-4)-were subjected to simulation. The docked complexes were evaluated in 500 ns of MD simulation. Throughout the simulation time, no significant deviation occurred. This confirmed that the vaccine as potential vaccine candidate to interact with immune cell receptors. This interaction is important for the immune system activation. In conclusion, the proposed vaccine construct against monkeypox could induce an effective immune response and speed up the vaccine development process. However, the study is completely based on the computational approach, hence, the experimental validation is required.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saifullah Khan
- Institute of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Alaa R Hameed
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, School of Life Sciences, Dijlah University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Asad Ullah
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Syed Ainul Abideen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Mahboob Ul Haq
- Department of Pharmacy, Abasyn University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Youness El Bakri
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Chemistry, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
| | - Alhanouf I Al-Harbi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahwish Ali
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Haleem
- Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Ali SL, Ali A, Alamri A, Baiduissenova A, Dusmagambetov M, Abduldayeva A. Genomic annotation for vaccine target identification and immunoinformatics-guided multi-epitope-based vaccine design against Songling virus through screening its whole genome encoded proteins. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1284366. [PMID: 38090579 PMCID: PMC10715409 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1284366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Songling virus (SGLV), a newly discovered tick-borne orthonairovirus, was recently identified in human spleen tissue. It exhibits cytopathic effects in human hepatoma cells and is associated with clinical symptoms including headache, fever, depression, fatigue, and dizziness, but no treatments or vaccines exist for this pathogenic virus. In the current study, immunoinformatics techniques were employed to identify potential vaccine targets within SGLV by comprehensively analyzing SGLV proteins. Four proteins were chosen based on specific thresholds to identify B-cell and T-cell epitopes, validated through IFN-γ epitopes. Six overlap MHC-I, MHC-II, and B cell epitopes were chosen to design a comprehensive vaccine candidate, ensuring 100% global coverage. These structures were paired with different adjuvants for broader protection against international strains. Vaccine constructions' 3D models were high-quality and validated by structural analysis. After molecular docking, SGLV-V4 was selected for further research due to its lowest binding energy (-66.26 kcal/mol) and its suitable immunological and physiochemical properties. The vaccine gene is expressed significantly in E. coli bacteria through in silico cloning. Immunological research and MD simulations supported its molecular stability and robust immune response within the host cell. These findings can potentially be used in designing safer and more effective experimental SGLV-V4 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Luqman Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Awais Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abdulaziz Alamri
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aliya Baiduissenova
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Astana Medical University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Marat Dusmagambetov
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Astana Medical University, Astana, Kazakhstan
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Mashraqi MM, Alzamami A, Alturki NA, Almasaudi HH, Ahmed I, Alshamrani S, Basharat Z. Chimeric vaccine design against the conserved TonB-dependent receptor-like β-barrel domain from the outer membrane tbpA and hpuB proteins of Kingella kingae ATCC 23330. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1258834. [PMID: 38053576 PMCID: PMC10694214 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1258834] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Kingella kingae is a Gram-negative bacterium that primarily causes pediatric infections such as septicemia, endocarditis, and osteoarticular infections. Its virulence is attributed to the outer membrane proteins having implications in bacterial adhesion, invasion, nutrition, and host tissue damage. TonB-dependent receptors (TBDRs) play an important role in nutrition and were previously implicated as vaccine targets in other bacteria. Therefore, we targeted the conserved β-barrel TBDR domain of these proteins for designing a vaccine construct that could elicit humoral and cellular immune responses. We used bioinformatic tools to mine TBDR-containing proteins from K. kingae ATCC 23330 and then predict B- and T-cell epitopes from their conserved β-barrel TDR domain. A chimeric vaccine construct was designed using three antigenic epitopes, covering >98% of the world population and capable of inciting humoral and adaptive immune responses. The final construct elicited a robust immune response. Docking and dynamics simulation showed good binding affinity of the vaccine construct to various receptors of the immune system. Additionally, the vaccine was predicted to be safe and non-allergenic, making it a promising candidate for further development. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the potential of immunoinformatics approaches in designing chimeric vaccines against K. kingae infections. The chimeric vaccine we designed can serve as a blueprint for future experimental studies to develop an effective vaccine against this pathogen, which can serve as a potential strategy to prevent K. kingae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutaib M. Mashraqi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Alzamami
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University, AlQuwayiyah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah A. Alturki
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hassan H. Almasaudi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrar Ahmed
- Alpha Genomics Private Limited, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Group for Biometrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Saleh Alshamrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
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41
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Basheer A, Jamal SB, Alzahrani B, Faheem M. Development of a tetravalent subunit vaccine against dengue virus through a vaccinomics approach. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1273838. [PMID: 38045699 PMCID: PMC10690774 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1273838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus infection (DVI) is a mosquito-borne disease that can lead to serious morbidity and mortality. Dengue fever (DF) is a major public health concern that affects approximately 3.9 billion people each year globally. However, there is no vaccine or drug available to deal with DVI. Dengue virus consists of four distinct serotypes (DENV1-4), each raising a different immunological response. In the present study, we designed a tetravalent subunit multi-epitope vaccine, targeting proteins including the structural protein envelope domain III (EDIII), precursor membrane proteins (prM), and a non-structural protein (NS1) from each serotype by employing an immunoinformatic approach. Only conserved sequences obtained through a multiple sequence alignment were used for epitope mapping to ensure efficacy against all serotypes. The epitopes were shortlisted based on an IC50 value <50, antigenicity, allergenicity, and a toxicity analysis. In the final vaccine construct, overall, 11 B-cell epitopes, 10 HTL epitopes, and 10 CTL epitopes from EDIII, prM, and NS1 proteins targeting all serotypes were selected and joined via KK, AAY, and GGGS linkers, respectively. We incorporated a 45-amino-acid-long B-defensins adjuvant in the final vaccine construct for a better immunogenic response. The vaccine construct has an antigenic score of 0.79 via VaxiJen and is non-toxic and non-allergenic. Our refined vaccine structure has a Ramachandran score of 96.4%. The vaccine has shown stable interaction with TLR3, which has been validated by 50 ns of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Our findings propose that a designed multi-epitope vaccine has substantial potential to elicit a strong immune response against all dengue serotypes without causing any adverse effects. Furthermore, the proposed vaccine can be experimentally validated as a probable vaccine, suggesting it may serve as an effective preventative measure against dengue virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Basheer
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Syed Babar Jamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Badr Alzahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakakah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Faheem
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, United States
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Moreno LB, de Albuquerque JB, Neary JM, Nguyen T, Hastie KM, Landeras-Bueno S, Hariharan C, Nathan A, Getz MA, Gayton AC, Khatri A, Gaiha GD, Saphire EO, Luster AD, Moon JJ. Identification of mouse CD4 + T cell epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 spike and nucleocapsid for use in peptide:MHCII tetramers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.16.566918. [PMID: 38014059 PMCID: PMC10680761 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.16.566918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding adaptive immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is a major requisite for the development of effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. CD4+ T cells play an integral role in this process primarily by generating antiviral cytokines and providing help to antibody-producing B cells. To empower detailed studies of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cell responses in mouse models, we comprehensively mapped I-Ab-restricted epitopes for the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of the BA.1 variant of concern via IFNγ ELISpot assay. This was followed by the generation of corresponding peptide:MHCII tetramer reagents to directly stain epitope-specific T cells. Using this rigorous validation strategy, we identified 6 reliably immunogenic epitopes in spike and 3 in nucleocapsid, all of which are conserved in the ancestral Wuhan strain. We also validated a previously identified epitope from Wuhan that is absent in BA.1. These epitopes and tetramers will be invaluable tools for SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific CD4+ T cell studies in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bricio Moreno
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Juliana Barreto de Albuquerque
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jake M. Neary
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Thao Nguyen
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Hastie
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sara Landeras-Bueno
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Chitra Hariharan
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Anusha Nathan
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew A. Getz
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Alton C. Gayton
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Ashok Khatri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Endocrine Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Gaurav D. Gaiha
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erica Ollmann Saphire
- Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrew D. Luster
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James J. Moon
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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43
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Federico L, Malone B, Tennøe S, Chaban V, Osen JR, Gainullin M, Smorodina E, Kared H, Akbar R, Greiff V, Stratford R, Clancy T, Munthe LA. Experimental validation of immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes identified by artificial intelligence. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1265044. [PMID: 38045681 PMCID: PMC10691274 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1265044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic we utilized an AI-driven T cell epitope prediction tool, the NEC Immune Profiler (NIP) to scrutinize and predict regions of T cell immunogenicity (hotspots) from the entire SARS-CoV-2 viral proteome. These immunogenic regions offer potential for the development of universally protective T cell vaccine candidates. Here, we validated and characterized T cell responses to a set of minimal epitopes from these AI-identified universal hotspots. Utilizing a flow cytometry-based T cell activation-induced marker (AIM) assay, we identified 59 validated screening hits, of which 56% (33 peptides) have not been previously reported. Notably, we found that most of these novel epitopes were derived from the non-spike regions of SARS-CoV-2 (Orf1ab, Orf3a, and E). In addition, ex vivo stimulation with NIP-predicted peptides from the spike protein elicited CD8+ T cell response in PBMC isolated from most vaccinated donors. Our data confirm the predictive accuracy of AI platforms modelling bona fide immunogenicity and provide a novel framework for the evaluation of vaccine-induced T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Federico
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Viktoriia Chaban
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Julie Røkke Osen
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Murat Gainullin
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eva Smorodina
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hassen Kared
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rahmad Akbar
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Victor Greiff
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Ludvig Andre Munthe
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for B cell Malignancies, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Roohparvar Basmenj E, Izadkhah H, Hosseinpour M, Saburi E, Abhaji Ezabadi M, Alipourfard I. A novel approach to design a multiepitope peptide as a vaccine candidate for Bordetella pertussis. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37937610 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2278081] [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: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Bordetella pertussis is a very contagious pathogen in humans, causing pertussis disease. Pertussis is one of the 10 leading causes of death due to infectious diseases, especially among infants and children. Antibiotic-resistant strains have recently emerged in this bacterium, and despite the high vaccination coverage, the prevalence of this disease has been increasing recently in both developed and developing countries. The objective of this study is to introduce a novel in silico vaccine candidate aimed at countering B. pertussis effectively. Differing from other comparable studies, this research employed a computational screening methodology to assess the genome of 'Bordetella pertussis 18323.' The purpose was to identify an innovative antigen for the development of a vaccine against B. pertussis. Notably, our investigation introduces an innovative antigen distinguished by its elevated immunogenicity score. Importantly, this antigen lacks toxicity and allergenicity, making it recognizable to the immune system and thus capable of inducing a robust immune response. In the subsequent phase, our antigen was utilized to identify potential epitopes conducive to the construction of a B. pertussis vaccine. These epitopes, alongside linkers, his-tag and adjuvants, were amalgamated to form the vaccine candidate. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation of the vaccine was conducted, encompassing various computational tests such as secondary and tertiary structure analysis, physicochemical examination, and structural analysis involving docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Importantly, our vaccine successfully passed all in silico tests.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Habib Izadkhah
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Hosseinpour
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ehsan Saburi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Marjan Abhaji Ezabadi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iraj Alipourfard
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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da Silva Antunes R, Weiskopf D, Sidney J, Rubiro P, Peters B, Arlehamn CSL, Grifoni A, Sette A. The MegaPool Approach to Characterize Adaptive CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Responses. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e934. [PMID: 37966108 PMCID: PMC10662678 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Epitopes recognized by T cells are a collection of short peptide fragments derived from specific antigens or proteins. Immunological research to study T cell responses is hindered by the extreme degree of heterogeneity of epitope targets, which are usually derived from multiple antigens; within a given antigen, hundreds of different T cell epitopes can be recognized, differing from one individual to the next because T cell epitope recognition is restricted by the epitopes' ability to bind to MHC molecules, which are extremely polymorphic in different individuals. Testing large pools encompassing hundreds of peptides is technically challenging because of logistical considerations regarding solvent-induced toxicity. To address this issue, we developed the MegaPool (MP) approach based on sequential lyophilization of large numbers of peptides that can be used in a variety of assays to measure T cell responses, including ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining, and activation-induced marker assays, and that has been validated in the study of infectious diseases, allergies, and autoimmunity. Here, we describe the procedures for generating and testing MPs, starting with peptide synthesis and lyophilization, as well as a step-by-step guide and recommendations for their handling and experimental usage. Overall, the MP approach is a powerful strategy for studying T cell responses and understanding the immune system's role in health and disease. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Generation of peptide pools ("MegaPools") Basic Protocol 2: MegaPool testing and quantitation of antigen-specific T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo da Silva Antunes
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniela Weiskopf
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John Sidney
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paul Rubiro
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bjoern Peters
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Alba Grifoni
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alessandro Sette
- Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI); La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, USA
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46
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Schäfer RA, Guo Q, Yang R. ScanNeo2: a comprehensive workflow for neoantigen detection and immunogenicity prediction from diverse genomic and transcriptomic alterations. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad659. [PMID: 37882750 PMCID: PMC10629934 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Neoantigens, tumor-specific protein fragments, are invaluable in cancer immunotherapy due to their ability to serve as targets for the immune system. Computational prediction of these neoantigens from sequencing data often requires multiple algorithms and sophisticated workflows, which are currently restricted to specific types of variants, such as single-nucleotide variants or insertions/deletions. Nevertheless, other sources of neoantigens are often overlooked. RESULTS We introduce ScanNeo2 an improved and fully automated bioinformatics pipeline designed for high-throughput neoantigen prediction from raw sequencing data. Unlike its predecessor, ScanNeo2 integrates multiple sources of somatic variants, including canonical- and exitron-splicing, gene fusion events, and various somatic variants. Our benchmark results demonstrate that ScanNeo2 accurately identifies neoantigens, providing a comprehensive and more efficient solution for neoantigen prediction. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ScanNeo2 is freely available at https://github.com/ylab-hi/ScanNeo2/ and is accompanied by instruction and application data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Schäfer
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Qingxiang Guo
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Rendong Yang
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
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Li B, Jing P, Zheng G, Pi C, Zhang L, Yin Z, Xu L, Qiu J, Gu H, Qiu T, Fang J. Neo-intline: integrated pipeline enables neoantigen design through the in-silico presentation of T-cell epitope. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:397. [PMID: 37848417 PMCID: PMC10582007 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01644-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neoantigen vaccines are one of the most effective immunotherapies for personalized tumour treatment. The current immunogen design of neoantigen vaccines is usually based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics prediction that focuses on the prediction of binding affinity between peptide and MHC molecules, ignoring other peptide-presenting related steps. This may result in a gap between high prediction accuracy and relatively low clinical effectiveness. In this study, we designed an integrated in-silico pipeline, Neo-intline, which started from the SNPs and indels of the tumour samples to simulate the presentation process of peptides in-vivo through an integrated calculation model. Validation on the benchmark dataset of TESLA and clinically validated neoantigens illustrated that neo-intline could outperform current state-of-the-art tools on both sample level and melanoma level. Furthermore, by taking the mouse melanoma model as an example, we verified the effectiveness of 20 neoantigens, including 10 MHC-I and 10 MHC-II peptides. The in-vitro and in-vivo experiments showed that both peptides predicted by Neo-intline could recruit corresponding CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells to induce a T-cell-mediated cellular immune response. Moreover, although the therapeutic effect of neoantigen vaccines alone is not sufficient, combinations with other specific therapies, such as broad-spectrum immune-enhanced adjuvants of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), or immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, can illustrate significant anticancer effects on melanoma. Neo-intline can be used as a benchmark process for the design and screening of immunogenic targets for neoantigen vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyu Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Ping Jing
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Genhui Zheng
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES), University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Chenyu Pi
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zuojing Yin
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijun Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Jingxuan Qiu
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Gu
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianyi Qiu
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jianmin Fang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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48
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Liu S, Yu Q, Li S, Li M, Yang L, Wang Q, Tu Z, Tao F, Yang P, Kong L, Xin X. Expression and immunogenicity of recombinant porcine epidemic diarrhea virus Nsp9. Virology 2023; 587:109861. [PMID: 37572518 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and high mortality in newborn piglets, which leads to significant economic losses. Coronavirus nonstructural protein 9 (Nsp9) is an essential RNA binding protein for coronavirus replication, which renders it a promising candidate for developing antiviral drugs and diagnosis targeting PEDV. In this study, PEDV Nsp9 protein fused with MBP protein and His-tag were expressed and purified in Escherichia coli. Furthermore, immunization of MBP-Nsp9 enhances both humoral and cellular immunity responses as compared with that of His-Nsp9 protein. Finally, the swine immunization showed that Nsp9 protein could stimulate the swine immunity system to carry out humoral immunity, and the generated antibody could inhibit the proliferation of PEDV in Vero cells. Altogether, our data provide direct evidence for the immunogenicity of PEDV Nsp9, which sheds light on the future developments of anti-PEDV drugs and vaccines for PED prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiguo Liu
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Qijia Yu
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Sha Li
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Mingzhi Li
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Li Yang
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Quansheng Wang
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Zewen Tu
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Feifei Tao
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Pingping Yang
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Lingbao Kong
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Xiu Xin
- Institute of Pathogenic Microorganism and College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Nanchang Key Laboratory of Animal Virus and Genetic Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
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Plaza DF, Zerebinski J, Broumou I, Lautenbach MJ, Ngasala B, Sundling C, Färnert A. A genomic platform for surveillance and antigen discovery in Plasmodium spp. using long-read amplicon sequencing. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100574. [PMID: 37751696 PMCID: PMC10545912 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Many vaccine candidate proteins in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are under strong immunological pressure and confer antigenic diversity. We present a sequencing and data analysis platform for the genomic surveillance of the insertion or deletion (indel)-rich antigens merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), MSP2, glutamate-rich protein (GLURP), and CSP from P. falciparum using long-read circular consensus sequencing (CCS) in multiclonal malaria isolates. Our platform uses 40 PCR primers per gene to asymmetrically barcode and identify multiclonal infections in pools of up to 384 samples. With msp2, we validated the method using 235 mock infections combining 10 synthetic variants at different concentrations and infection complexities. We applied this strategy to P. falciparum isolates from a longitudinal cohort in Tanzania. Finally, we constructed an analysis pipeline that streamlines the processing and interpretation of epidemiological and antigenic diversity data from demultiplexed FASTQ files. This platform can be easily adapted to other polymorphic antigens of interest in Plasmodium or any other human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Fernando Plaza
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Julia Zerebinski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ioanna Broumou
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maximilian Julius Lautenbach
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Billy Ngasala
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam 57RF+V8, Tanzania
| | - Christopher Sundling
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Färnert
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
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50
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Di Ianni A, Barbero L, Fraone T, Cowan K, Sirtori FR. Preclinical risk assessment strategy to mitigate the T-cell dependent immunogenicity of protein biotherapeutics: State of the art, challenges and future perspectives. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 234:115500. [PMID: 37311374 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115500] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics hold a prominent role and have brought significant diversity in efficacious medicinal products. Not just monoclonal antibodies and different antibody formats (pegylated antigen-binding fragments, bispecifics, antibody-drug conjugates, single chain variable fragments, nanobodies, dia-, tria- and tetrabodies), but also purified blood products, growth factors, recombinant cytokines, enzyme replacement factors, fusion proteins are all good instances of therapeutic proteins that have been developed in the past decades and approved for their value in oncology, immune-oncology, and autoimmune diseases discovery programs. Although there was an ingrained belief that fully humanized proteins were expected to have limited immunogenicity, adverse effects associated with immune responses to biological therapies raised some concern in biotech companies. Consequently, drug developers are designing strategies to assess potential immune responses to protein therapeutics during both the preclinical and clinical phases of development. Despite the many factors that can contribute to protein immunogenicity, T cell- (thymus-) dependent (Td) immunogenicity seems to play a crucial role in the development of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) to biologics. A broad range of methodologies to predict and rationally assess Td immune responses to protein drugs has been developed. This review aims to briefly summarize the preclinical immunogenicity risk assessment strategy to mitigate the risk of potential immunogenic candidates coming towards clinical phases, discussing the advantages and limitations of these technologies, and suggesting a rational approach for assessing and mitigating Td immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Di Ianni
- University of Turin, Molecular Biotechnology Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Luca Barbero
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Tiziana Fraone
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy
| | - Kyra Cowan
- New Biological Entities, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (NBE-DMPK), Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Frankfurterstrasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Federico Riccardi Sirtori
- NBE-DMPK Innovative BioAnalytics, Merck Serono RBM S.p.A., an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Via Ribes 1, 10010 Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy.
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