Exploring the Association of Surface Plasmon Resonance with Recombinant MHC:Ig Hybrid Protein as a Tool for Detecting T Lymphocytes in Mice Infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

Combining Well-Tempered Metadynamics Simulation and SPR Assays to Characterize the Binding Mechanism of the Universal T-Lymphocyte Tetanus Toxin Epitope TT830-843

Peptide TT830-843 from the tetanus toxin is a universal T-cell epitope. It helps in vaccination and induces T-cell activation. However, the fine molecular interaction between this antigen and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) remains unknown. Molecular analysis of its interaction with murine MHC (H-2) was proposed to explore its immune response efficiency. Molecular dynamics simulations are important mechanisms for understanding the basis of protein-ligand interactions, and metadynamics is a useful technique for enhancing sampling in molecular dynamics. SPR (surface plasmon resonance) assays were used to validate whether the metadynamics results are in accordance with the experimental results. The peptide TT830-843 unbinding process was simulated, and the free energy surface reconstruction revealed a detailed conformational landscape. The simulation described the exiting path as a stepwise mechanism between progressive detachment states. We pointed out how the terminus regions act as anchors for binding and how the detachment mechanism includes the opening of α-helices to permit the peptide's central region dissociation. The results indicated the peptide/H-2 receptor encounter occurs within a distance lesser than 27.5 Å, and the encounter can evolve to form a stable complex. SPR assays confirmed the complex peptide/H-2 as a thermodynamically stable system, exhibiting enough free energy to interact with TCR on the antigen-presenting cell surface. Therefore, combining in silico and in vitro assays provided significant evidence to support the peptide/H-2 complex formation.

The potential HLA Class I-restricted epitopes derived from LeIF and TSA of Leishmania donovani evoke anti-leishmania CD8+ T lymphocyte response

To explore new protective measure against visceral leishmaniasis, reverse vaccinology approach was employed to identify key immunogenic regions which can mediate long-term immunity. In-depth computational analysis revealed nine promiscuous epitopes which can possibly be presented by 46 human leukocyte antigen, thereby broadening the worldwide population up to 94.16%. This is of reasonable significance that most of the epitopes shared 100% sequence homology with other Leishmania species and could evoke a common pattern of protective immune response. Transporter associated with antigen processing binding affinity, molecular docking approach followed by dynamics simulation and human leukocyte antigen stabilization assay suggested that the best five optimal set of epitopes bind in between α1 and α2 binding groove with sufficient affinity and stability which allows the translocation of intact epitope to the cell surface. Fascinatingly, the human leukocyte antigen stabilization assay exhibited a modest correlation with the positive immunogenicity score predicted by class I pMHC immunogenicity predictor. A support for this notion came from ELISA and FACS analysis where the epitopes as a cocktail induced CD8+ IFN-γ and Granzyme B levels significantly in treated visceral leishmaniasis subject which suggests the immunogenic ability of the selected epitopes.