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Hoenigl M, Arastehfar A, Arendrup MC, Brüggemann R, Carvalho A, Chiller T, Chen S, Egger M, Feys S, Gangneux JP, Gold JAW, Groll AH, Heylen J, Jenks JD, Krause R, Lagrou K, Lamoth F, Prattes J, Sedik S, Wauters J, Wiederhold NP, Thompson GR. Novel antifungals and treatment approaches to tackle resistance and improve outcomes of invasive fungal disease. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0007423. [PMID: 38602408 PMCID: PMC11237431 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00074-23] [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: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYFungal infections are on the rise, driven by a growing population at risk and climate change. Currently available antifungals include only five classes, and their utility and efficacy in antifungal treatment are limited by one or more of innate or acquired resistance in some fungi, poor penetration into "sequestered" sites, and agent-specific side effect which require frequent patient reassessment and monitoring. Agents with novel mechanisms, favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles including good oral bioavailability, and fungicidal mechanism(s) are urgently needed. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of novel antifungal agents, with both improved known mechanisms of actions and new antifungal classes, currently in clinical development for treating invasive yeast, mold (filamentous fungi), Pneumocystis jirovecii infections, and dimorphic fungi (endemic mycoses). We further focus on inhaled antifungals and the role of immunotherapy in tackling fungal infections, and the specific PK/pharmacodynamic profiles, tissue distributions as well as drug-drug interactions of novel antifungals. Finally, we review antifungal resistance mechanisms, the role of use of antifungal pesticides in agriculture as drivers of drug resistance, and detail detection methods for antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hoenigl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Amir Arastehfar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maiken Cavling Arendrup
- Unit of Mycology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Roger Brüggemann
- Department of Pharmacy and Radboudumc Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboudumc-CWZ Center of Expertise in Mycology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Tom Chiller
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sharon Chen
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, NSW South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthias Egger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Simon Feys
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Gangneux
- Centre National de Référence des Mycoses et Antifongiques LA-AspC Aspergilloses chroniques, European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM EC), Centre hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Jeremy A. W. Gold
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andreas H. Groll
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Infectious Disease Research Program, Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation, University Children’s Hospital, Muenster, Germany
| | - Jannes Heylen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeffrey D. Jenks
- Department of Public Health, Durham County, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert Krause
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Center for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Lamoth
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Sarah Sedik
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Joost Wauters
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathan P. Wiederhold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - George R. Thompson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Gupta A, Choudhary P, Singh S. Identification and targeting of metastatic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma therapeutics using small molecules library of curcumin analogues. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10871-3. [PMID: 38689175 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10871-3] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The understanding of the molecular basis of complex diseases like hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) needs large datasets of multiple genes and proteins involved in different phenomenon of its development. This study focuses on the molecular basis of HCC and the development of therapeutic strategies. We analyzed a dataset of 5475 genes (Homo sapiens) involved in HCC hallmarks, involving comprehensive data on multiple genes and frequently mutated genes. As HCC is characterized by metastasis, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress, exploration of genes associated with them has been targeted. Through gene ontology, functional characterization, and pathway enrichment analysis, we identified target proteins such as Lysyl oxidase, Survivin, Cofilin, and Cathepsin B. A library of curcumin analogs was used to target these proteins. Tetrahrydrocurcumin showed promising binding affinities for all four proteins, suggesting its potential as an inhibitor against these proteins for HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayushi Gupta
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Devghat, Jhalwa, Prayagraj, 211015, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Princy Choudhary
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Devghat, Jhalwa, Prayagraj, 211015, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sangeeta Singh
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Devghat, Jhalwa, Prayagraj, 211015, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Ghasemi Nezhad F, Karmostaji A, Sarkoohi P, Shahbazi B, Gharibi Z, Negahdari B, Ahmadi K. Introduction of protein vaccine candidate based on AP65, AP33, and α-actinin proteins against Trichomonas vaginalis parasite: an immunoinformatics design. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:165. [PMID: 38556882 PMCID: PMC10981826 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06248-y] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease (STI) worldwide. Vaccination is generally considered to be one of the most effective methods of preventing infectious diseases. Using AP65, AP33 and α-actinin proteins, this research aims to develop a protein vaccine against Trichomonas vaginalis. METHODS Based on the B-cell and T-cell epitope prediction servers, the most antigenic epitopes were selected, and with the necessary evaluations, epitope-rich domains of three proteins, AP65, AP33, and α-actinin, were selected and linked. Subsequently, the ability of the vaccine to interact with toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLR2 and TLR4) was assessed. The stability of the interactions was also studied by molecular dynamics for a duration of 100 nanoseconds. RESULTS The designed protein consists of 780 amino acids with a molecular weight of 85247.31 daltons. The results of the interaction of the vaccine candidate with TLR2 and TLR4 of the immune system also showed that there are strong interactions between the vaccine candidate protein with TLR2 (-890.7 kcal mol-1) and TLR4 (-967.3 kcal mol-1). All parameters studied to evaluate the stability of the protein structure and the protein-TLR2 and protein-TLR4 complexes showed that the structure of the vaccine candidate protein is stable alone and in complex with the immune system receptors. Investigation of the ability of the designed protein to induce an immune response using the C-ImmSim web server also showed that the designed protein is capable of stimulating B- and T-cell lymphocytes to produce the necessary cytokines and antibodies against Trichomonas vaginalis. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our vaccine may have potential protection against Trichomonas vaginalis. However, for experimental in vivo and in vitro studies, it may be a good vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forozan Ghasemi Nezhad
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Karmostaji
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Parisa Sarkoohi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Behzad Shahbazi
- School of Pharmacy, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Zahra Gharibi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Batul Negahdari
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Ahmadi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
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Naveed M, Ali U, Aziz T, Naveed R, Mahmood S, Khan MM, Alharbi M, Albekairi TH, Alasmari AF. An Aedes-Anopheles Vaccine Candidate Supplemented with BCG Epitopes Against the Aedes and Anopheles Genera to Overcome Hypersensitivity to Mosquito Bites. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:483-504. [PMID: 38194049 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00771-1] [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] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Skeeter syndrome is a severe local allergic response to mosquito bites that is accompanied by considerable inflammation and, in some cases, a systemic response like fever. People with the syndrome develop serious allergies, ranging from rashes to anaphylaxis or shock. The few available studies on mosquito venom immunotherapy have utilized whole-body preparations and small sample sizes. Still, owing to their little success, vaccination remains a promising alternative as well as a permanent solution for infections like Skeeter's. METHODS This study, therefore, illustrated the construction of an epitope-based vaccine candidate against Skeeter Syndrome using established immunoinformatic techniques. We selected three species of mosquitoes, Anopheles melas, Anopheles funestus, and Aedes aegypti, to derive salivary antigens usually found in mosquito bites. Our construct was also supplemented with bacterial epitopes known to elicit a strong TH1 response and suppress TH2 stimulation that is predicted to reduce hypersensitivity against the bites. RESULTS A quality factor of 98.9496, instability index of 38.55, aliphatic index of 79.42, solubility of 0.934747, and GRAVY score of -0.02 indicated the structural (tertiary and secondary) stability, thermostability, solubility, and hydrophilicity of the construct, respectively. The designed Aedes-Anopheles vaccine (AAV) candidate was predicted to be flexible and less prone to deformability with an eigenvalue of 1.5911e-9 and perfected the human immune response against Skeeter (hypersensitivity) and many mosquito-associated diseases as we noted the production of 30,000 Th1 cells per mm3 with little (insignificant production of Th2 cells. The designed vaccine also revealed stable interactions with the pattern recognition receptors of the host. The TLR2/vaccine complex interacted with a free energy of - 1069.2 kcal/mol with 26 interactions, whereas the NLRP3/vaccine complex interacted with a free energy of - 1081.2 kcal/mol with 16 molecular interactions. CONCLUSION Although being a pure in-silico study, the in-depth analysis performed herein speaks volumes of the potency of the designed vaccine candidate predicting that the proposition can withstand rigorous in-vitro and in-vivo clinical trials and may proceed to become the first preventative immunotherapy against mosquito bite allergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan.
| | - Urooj Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina Arta, 47100, Arta, Greece.
| | - Rida Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Sarmad Mahmood
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Mustajab Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Metab Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamer H Albekairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah F Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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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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Elbehiry A, Al Shoaibi M, Alzahrani H, Ibrahem M, Moussa I, Alzaben F, Alsubki RA, Hemeg HA, Almutairi D, Althobaiti S, Alanazi F, Alotaibi SA, Almutairi H, Alzahrani A, Abu-Okail A. Enterobacter cloacae from urinary tract infections: frequency, protein analysis, and antimicrobial resistance. AMB Express 2024; 14:17. [PMID: 38329626 PMCID: PMC10853136 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-024-01675-7] [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: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Enterobacter belongs to the ESKAPE group, which includes Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. This group is characterized by the development of resistance to various antibiotics. In recent years, Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae) has emerged as a clinically important pathogen responsible for a wide range of healthcare-associated illnesses. Identifying Enterobacter species can be challenging due to their similar phenotypic characteristics. The emergence of multidrug-resistant E. cloacae is also a significant problem in healthcare settings. Therefore, our study aimed to identify and differentiate E. cloacae using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as a fast and precise proteomic analytical technique. We also tested hospital-acquired E. cloacae isolates that produce Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) against commonly used antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs). We used a total of 189 E. cloacae isolates from 2300 urine samples of patients with UTIs in our investigation. We employed culturing techniques, as well as the BD Phoenix™ automated identification system (Becton, Dickinson) and Analytical Profile Index (API) system for the biochemical identification of E. cloacae isolates. We used the MALDI Biotyper (MBT) device for peptide mass fingerprinting analysis of all isolates. We utilized the single peak intensities and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) created by MBT Compass software to discriminate and cluster the E. cloacae isolates. Additionally, we evaluated the sensitivity and resistance of ESBL-E. cloacae isolates using the Kirby Bauer method. Out of the 189 E. cloacae isolates, the BD Phoenix system correctly identified 180 (95.24%) isolates, while the API system correctly identified 165 (87.30%) isolates. However, the MBT accurately identified 185 (98.95%) isolates with a score of 2.00 or higher. PCA positively discriminated the identified E. cloacae isolates into one group, and prominent peaks were noticed between 4230 mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) and 8500 m/z. The ESBL-E. cloacae isolates exhibited a higher degree of resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cephalothin, cefuroxime, and cefoxitin. Several isolates were susceptible to carbapenems (meropenem, imipenem, and ertapenem); however, potential future resistance against carbapenems should be taken into consideration. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS is a powerful and precise technology that can be routinely used to recognize and differentiate various pathogens in clinical samples. Additionally, the growing antimicrobial resistance of this bacterium may pose a significant risk to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Elbehiry
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Qassim University, 52741, Al Bukayriyah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mansor Al Shoaibi
- Department of Support Service, King Fahad Armed Hospital, 23311, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamzah Alzahrani
- Department of Preventive Medicine, King Fahad Armed Hospital, 23311, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mai Ibrahem
- Department of Public Health, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, 61421, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ihab Moussa
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Feras Alzaben
- Department of Food Service, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, 23311, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rousa A Alsubki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hassan A Hemeg
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dakheel Almutairi
- Medical Transportation Administration of Prince Sultan Military Medical City, 12233, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh Althobaiti
- Pharmacy Department, Armed Forces Hospital in Jubail, 35517, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fawaz Alanazi
- Supply Administration, Armed Forces Hospital, King Abdul Aziz Naval Base in Jubail, 35517, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan A Alotaibi
- Medical Administration, Armed Forces Hospital, King Abdul Aziz Naval Base in Jubail, 35517, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamoud Almutairi
- Aviation Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City of National Guard, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Alzahrani
- Department of Preventive Medicine, King Fahad Armed Hospital, 23311, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akram Abu-Okail
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, 52571, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
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Beikzadeh B. Immunoinformatics design of novel multi-epitope vaccine against Trueperella Pyogenes using collagen adhesion protein, fimbriae, and pyolysin. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:90. [PMID: 38315222 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03814-3] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Trueperella pyogenes (T. pyogenes) is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infertility, mastitis, and metritis in animals. T. pyogenes is also a zoonotic disease and is considered an economic loss agent in the livestock industry. Therefore, vaccine development is necessary. Using an immunoinformatics approach, this study aimed to construct a multi-epitope vaccine against T. pyogenes. The collagen adhesion protein, fimbriae, and pyolysin (PLO) sequences were initially retrieved. The HTL, CTL, and B cell epitopes were predicted. The vaccine was designed by binding these epitopes with linkers. To increase vaccine immunogenicity, profilin was added to the N-terminal of the vaccine construct. The antigenic features and safety of the vaccine model were investigated. Docking, molecular dynamics simulation of the vaccine with immune receptors, and immunological simulation were used to evaluate the vaccine's efficacy. The vaccine's sequence was then optimized for cloning. The vaccine construct was designed based on 18 epitopes of T. pyogenes. The computational tools validated the vaccine as non-allergenic, non-toxic, hydrophilic, and stable at different temperatures with acceptable antigenic features. The vaccine model had good affinity and stability to bovine TLR2, 4, and 5 as well as stimulation of IgM, IgG, IL-2, IFN-γ, and Th1 responses. This vaccine also increased long-lived memory cells, dendritic cells, and macrophage population. In addition, codon optimization was done and cloned in the E. coli K12 expression vector (pET-28a). For the first time, this study introduced a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate based on collagen adhesion protein, fimbriae, and PLO of T. pyogenes. It is expected this vaccine stimulates an effective immune response to prevent T. pyogenes infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Beikzadeh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
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8
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Yang H, Zhao A, Chen Y, Cheng T, Zhou J, Li Z. Exploring the potential link between MitoEVs and the immune microenvironment of periodontitis based on machine learning and bioinformatics methods. BMC Oral Health 2024; 24:169. [PMID: 38308306 PMCID: PMC10838001 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-03912-8] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition triggered by immune system malfunction. Mitochondrial extracellular vesicles (MitoEVs) are a group of highly heterogeneous extracellular vesicles (EVs) enriched in mitochondrial fractions. The objective of this research was to examine the correlation between MitoEVs and the immune microenvironment of periodontitis. METHODS Data from MitoCarta 3.0, GeneCards, and GEO databases were utilized to identify differentially expressed MitoEV-related genes (MERGs) and conduct functional enrichment and pathway analyses. The random forest and LASSO algorithms were employed to identify hub MERGs. Infiltration levels of immune cells in periodontitis and healthy groups were estimated using the CIBERSORT algorithm, and phenotypic subgroups of periodontitis based on hub MERG expression levels were explored using a consensus clustering method. RESULTS A total of 44 differentially expressed MERGs were identified. The random forest and LASSO algorithms identified 9 hub MERGs (BCL2L11, GLDC, CYP24A1, COQ2, MTPAP, NIPSNAP3A, FAM162A, MYO19, and NDUFS1). ROC curve analysis showed that the hub gene and logistic regression model presented excellent diagnostic and discriminating abilities. Immune infiltration and consensus clustering analysis indicated that hub MERGs were highly correlated with various types of immune cells, and there were significant differences in immune cells and hub MERGs among different periodontitis subtypes. CONCLUSION The periodontitis classification model based on MERGs shows excellent performance and can offer novel perspectives into the pathogenesis of periodontitis. The high correlation between MERGs and various immune cells and the significant differences between immune cells and MERGs in different periodontitis subtypes can clarify the regulatory roles of MitoEVs in the immune microenvironment of periodontitis. Future research should focus on elucidating the functional mechanisms of hub MERGs and exploring potential therapeutic interventions based on these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Yang
- Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Anna Zhao
- Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuxiang Chen
- Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Tingting Cheng
- Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | | | - Ziliang Li
- Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
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Naveed M, Ali U, Aziz T, Jabeen K, Arif MH, Alharbi M, Alasmari AF, Albekairi TH. Development and immunological evaluation of an mRNA-based vaccine targeting Naegleria fowleri for the treatment of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:767. [PMID: 38191579 PMCID: PMC10774437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-51127-8] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
More than 95% of patients fall victim to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a fatal disease attacking the central nervous system. Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating microorganism, is PAM's most well-known pathogenic ameboflagellate. Despite the use of antibiotics, the fatality rate continues to rise as no clinical trials have been conducted against this disease. To address this, we mined the UniProt database for pathogenic proteins and selected assumed epitopes to create an mRNA-based vaccine. We identified thirty B-cell and T-cell epitopes for the vaccine candidate. These epitopes, secretion boosters, subcellular trafficking structures, and linkers were used to construct the vaccine candidate. Through predictive modeling and confirmation via the Ramachandran plot (with a quality factor of 92.22), we assessed secondary and 3D structures. The adjuvant RpfE was incorporated to enhance the vaccine construct's immunogenicity (GRAVY index: 0.394, instability index: 38.99, antigenicity: 0.8). The theoretical model of immunological simulations indicated favorable responses from both innate and adaptive immune cells, with memory cells expected to remain active for up to 350 days post-vaccination, while the antigen was eliminated from the body within 24 h. Notably, strong interactions were observed between the vaccine construct and TLR-4 (- 11.9 kcal/mol) and TLR-3 (- 18.2 kcal/mol).
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan.
| | - Urooj Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Laboratory of Animal Health, Food Hygiene and Quality, Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, 47132, Arta, Greece.
| | - Khizra Jabeen
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Hammad Arif
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Metab Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah F Alasmari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamer H Albekairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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10
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Ahmed N, Rabaan AA, Alwashmi ASS, Albayat H, Mashraqi MM, Alshehri AA, Garout M, Abduljabbar WA, Yusof NY, Yean CY. Immunoinformatic Execution and Design of an Anti-Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine with Multiple Epitopes Triggering Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2448. [PMID: 37894106 PMCID: PMC10609278 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102448] [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: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important breakthroughs in healthcare is the development of vaccines. The life cycle and its gene expression in the numerous virus-associated disorders must be considered when choosing the target vaccine antigen for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The vaccine candidate used in the current study will also be effective against all other herpesvirus strains, based on the conservancy study, which verified that the protein is present in all herpesviruses. From the screening, two B-cell epitopes, four MHC-I, and five MHC-II restricted epitopes were chosen for further study. The refined epitopes indicated 70.59% coverage of the population in Malaysia and 93.98% worldwide. After removing the one toxin (PADRE) from the original vaccine design, it was projected that the new vaccine would not be similar to the human host and would instead be antigenic, immunogenic, non-allergenic, and non-toxic. The vaccine construct was stable, thermostable, soluble, and hydrophilic. The immunological simulation projected that the vaccine candidate would be subject to a long-lasting active adaptive response and a short-lived active innate response. With IgM concentrations of up to 450 cells per mm3 and active B-cell concentrations of up to 400 cells per mm3, the B-cells remain active for a considerable time. The construct also discovered other conformational epitopes, improving its ability to stimulate an immune response. This suggests that, upon injection, the epitope will target the B-cell surface receptors and elicit a potent immune response. Furthermore, the discotope analysis confirmed that our conformational B-cell epitope was not displaced during the design. Lastly, the docking complex was stable and exhibited little deformability under heat pressure. These computational results are very encouraging for future testing of our proposed vaccine, which may potentially help in the management and prevention of EBV infections worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed Ahmed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
| | - Ameen S. S. Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hawra Albayat
- Infectious Disease Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh 12746, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mutaib M. Mashraqi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A. Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Wesam A. Abduljabbar
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah 21461, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nik Yusnoraini Yusof
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
| | - Chan Yean Yean
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
- Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
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11
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Perveen I, Bukhari B, Najeeb M, Nazir S, Faridi TA, Farooq M, Ahmad QUA, Abusalah MAHA, ALjaraedah TY, Alraei WY, Rabaan AA, Singh KKB, Abusalah MAHA. Hydrogen Therapy and Its Future Prospects for Ameliorating COVID-19: Clinical Applications, Efficacy, and Modality. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1892. [PMID: 37509530 PMCID: PMC10377251 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular hydrogen is renowned as an odorless and colorless gas. The recommendations developed by China suggest that the inhalation of hydrogen molecules is currently advised in COVID-19 pneumonia treatment. The therapeutic effects of molecular hydrogens have been confirmed after numerous clinical trials and animal-model-based experiments, which have expounded that the low molecular weight of hydrogen enables it to easily diffuse and permeate through the cell membranes to produce a variety of biological impacts. A wide range of both chronic and acute inflammatory diseases, which may include sepsis, pancreatitis, respiratory disorders, autoimmune diseases, ischemia-reperfusion damages, etc. may be treated and prevented by using it. H2 can primarily be inoculated through inhalation, by drinking water (which already contains H2), or by administrating the injection of saline H2 in the body. It may play a pivotal role as an antioxidant, in regulating the immune system, in anti-inflammatory activities (mitochondrial energy metabolism), and cell death (apoptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy) by reducing the formation of excessive reactive O2 species and modifying the transcription factors in the nuclei of the cells. However, the fundamental process of molecular hydrogen is still not entirely understood. Molecular hydrogen H2 has a promising future in therapeutics based on its safety and possible usefulness. The current review emphasizes the antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects of hydrogen molecules along with the underlying principle and fundamental mechanism involved, with a prime focus on the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). This review will also provide strategies and recommendations for the therapeutic and medicinal applications of the hydrogen molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishrat Perveen
- Food and Biotechnology Research Centre, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Centre, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Bakhtawar Bukhari
- Food and Biotechnology Research Centre, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Centre, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Mahwish Najeeb
- University Institute of Public Health, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Sumbal Nazir
- School of Zoology, Minhaj University Lahore, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
| | - Tallat Anwar Faridi
- University Institute of Public Health, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farooq
- Food and Biotechnology Research Centre, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Centre, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Qurat-Ul-Ain Ahmad
- Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Township Lahore, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
| | - Manal Abdel Haleem A Abusalah
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
| | - Thana' Y ALjaraedah
- Department of Diet Therapy Technology & Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Al-Zarqa 13132, Jordan
| | - Wesal Yousef Alraei
- Department of Diet Therapy Technology & Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Al-Zarqa 13132, Jordan
| | - Ali A Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kirnpal Kaur Banga Singh
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
| | - Mai Abdel Haleem A Abusalah
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa University, Al-Zarqa 13132, Jordan
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12
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Pawar AM, Isaqali Karobari M. COVID-19 and Dentistry: Enhancing Knowledge and Attitudes towards Infections, Immunity, and Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1158. [PMID: 37514974 PMCID: PMC10385349 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071158] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every part of human life, including healthcare systems, and presented societies with hitherto unheard-of concerns [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya M Pawar
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai 400008, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mohmed Isaqali Karobari
- Department of Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh 12211, Cambodia
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60131, East Java, Indonesia
- Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, Tamil Naidu, India
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13
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Beikzadeh B. Immunoinformatics design of multi-epitope vaccine using OmpA, OmpD and enterotoxin against non-typhoidal salmonellosis. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:63. [PMID: 36823524 PMCID: PMC9950014 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05183-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is one of the important bacteria that cause foodborne diseases and invasive infections in children and elderly people. Since NTS infection is difficult to control due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant species and its adverse effect on immune response, the development of a vaccine against NTS would be necessary. This study aimed to develop a multi-epitope vaccine against the most prevalent serovars of NTS (Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis) using an immunoinformatics approach and targeting OmpA, OmpD, and enterotoxin (Stn). RESULTS Initially, the B cell and T cell epitopes were predicted. Then, epitopes and suitable adjuvant were assembled by molecular linkers to construct a multi-epitope vaccine. The computational tools predicted the tertiary structure, refined the tertiary structure and validated the final vaccine construct. The effectiveness of the vaccine was evaluated via molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and in silico immune simulation. The vaccine model had good binding affinity and stability with MHC-I, MHC-II, and toll-like receptors (TLR-1, 2, 4) as well as activation of T cells, IgM, IgG, IFN-γ and IL-2 responses. Furthermore, after codon optimization of the vaccine sequence, this sequence was cloned in E. coli plasmid vector pET-30a (+) within restriction sites of HindIII and BamHI. CONCLUSIONS This study, for the first time, introduced a multi-epitope vaccine based on OmpA, OmpD and enterotoxin (Stn) of NTS that could stimulate T and B cell immune responses and produced in the prokaryotic system. This vaccine was validated in-silico phase which is an essential study to reduce challenges before in vitro and in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Beikzadeh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
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14
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Girija ASS, Gunasekaran S, Habib S, Aljeldah M, Al Shammari BR, Alshehri AA, Alwashmi ASS, Turkistani SA, Alawfi A, Alshengeti A, Garout M, Alwarthan S, Alsubki RA, Moustafa NM, Rabaan AA. Prediction of Putative Epitope Peptides against BaeR Associated with TCS Adaptation in Acinetobacter baumannii Using an In Silico Approach. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020343. [PMID: 36837545 PMCID: PMC9959147 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020343] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The BaeR protein is involved in the adaptation system of A. baumannii and is associated with virulence factors responsible for systemic infections in hospitalized patients. This study was conducted to characterize putative epitope peptides for the design of vaccines against BaeR protein, using an immune-informatic approach. Materials and Methods: FASTA sequences of BaeR from five different strains of A. baumannii were retrieved from the UNIPROT database and evaluated for their antigenicity, allergenicity and vaccine properties using BepiPred, Vaxijen, AlgPred, AntigenPro and SolPro. Their physio-chemical properties were assessed using the Expasy Protparam server. Immuno-dominant B-cell and T-cell epitope peptides were predicted using the IEDB database and MHC cluster server with a final assessment of their interactions with TLR-2. Results: A final selection of two peptide sequences (36aa and 22aa) was made from the 38 antigenic peptides. E1 was considered a soluble, non-allergenic antigen, and possessed negative GRAVY values, substantiating the hydrophilic nature of the proteins. Further analysis on the T-cell epitopes, class I immunogenicity and HLA allele frequencies yielded T-cell immuno-dominant peptides. The protein-peptide interactions of the TLR-2 receptor showed good similarity scores in terms of the high number of hydrogen bonds compared to other protein-peptide interactions. Conclusions: The two epitopes predicted from BaeR in the present investigation are promising vaccine candidates for targeting the TCS of A. baumannii in systemic and nosocomial infections. This study also demonstrates an alternative strategy to tackling and mitigating MDR strains of A. baumannii and provides a useful reference for the design and construction of novel vaccine candidates against this bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. S. Smiline Girija
- Department of Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences [SIMATS], Saveetha University, P.H. Road, Chennai 600077, India
- Correspondence: (A.S.S.G.); (A.A.R.)
| | - Shoba Gunasekaran
- Department of Biotechnology, DG Vaishnav College, Chennai 600106, India
| | - Saman Habib
- Department of Medical Education, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Mohammed Aljeldah
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 39831, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basim R. Al Shammari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 39831, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A. Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S. S. Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Safaa A. Turkistani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Fakeeh College for Medical Science, Jeddah 21134, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulsalam Alawfi
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amer Alshengeti
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sara Alwarthan
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Roua A. Alsubki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nouran M. Moustafa
- Basic Medical Science Department, College of Medicine, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh 12922, Saudi Arabia
- Medical Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 1181, Egypt
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (A.S.S.G.); (A.A.R.)
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15
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Designing Novel Multi-Epitope Vaccine Construct against Prevotella intermedia-Interpain A: An Immunoinformatics Approach. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020302. [PMID: 36837503 PMCID: PMC9966096 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Periodontitis is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory infectious disease marked by continuous degradation of teeth and surrounding parts. One of the most important periodontal pathogens is P. intermedia, and with its interpain A proteinase, it leads to an increase in lethal infection. Materials and Methods: The current study was designed to create a multi-epitope vaccine using an immunoinformatics method that targets the interpain A of P. intermedia. For the development of vaccines, P. intermedia peptides InpA were found appropriate. To create a multi-epitope vaccination design, interpain A, B, and T-cell epitopes were found and assessed depending on the essential variables. The vaccine construct was evaluated based on its stability, antigenicity, and allergenicity. Results: The vaccine construct reached a more significant population and was able to bind to both the binding epitopes of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I and MHC-II. Through the C3 receptor complex route, P. intermedia InpA promotes an immunological subunit. Utilizing InpA-C3 and vaccination epitopes as the receptor and ligand, the molecular docking and dynamics were performed using the ClusPro 2.0 server. Conclusion: The developed vaccine had shown good antigenicity, solubility, and stability. Molecular docking indicated the vaccine's 3D structure interacts strongly with the complement C3. The current study describes the design for vaccine, and steady interaction with the C3 immunological receptor to induce a good memory and an adaptive immune response against Interpain A of P. intermedia.
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16
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Chechi JL, da Costa FAC, Figueiredo JM, de Souza CM, Valdez AF, Zamith-Miranda D, Camara AC, Taborda CP, Nosanchuk JD. Vaccine development for pathogenic fungi: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023; 22:1136-1153. [PMID: 37936254 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2279570] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fungal infections are caused by a broad range of pathogenic fungi that are found worldwide with different geographic distributions, incidences, and mortality rates. Considering that there are relatively few approved medications available for combating fungal diseases and no vaccine formulation commercially available, multiple groups are searching for new antifungal drugs, examining drugs for repurposing and developing antifungal vaccines, in order to control deaths, sequels, and the spread of these complex infections. AREAS COVERED This review provides a summary of advances in fungal vaccine studies and the different approaches under development, such as subunit vaccines, whole organism vaccines, and DNA vaccines, as well as studies that optimize the use of adjuvants. We conducted a literature search of the PubMed with terms: fungal vaccines and genus of fungal pathogens (Cryptococcus spp. Candida spp. Coccidioides spp. Aspergillus spp. Sporothrix spp. Histoplasma spp. Paracoccidioides spp. Pneumocystis spp. and the Mucorales order), a total of 177 articles were collected from database. EXPERT OPINION Problems regarding the immune response development in an immunocompromised organism, the similarity between fungal and mammalian cells, and the lack of attention by health organizations to fungal infections are closely related to the fact that, at present, there are no fungal vaccines available for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica L Chechi
- Laboratório de Fungos Dimórficos Patogênicos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe A C da Costa
- Laboratório de Fungos Dimórficos Patogênicos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Micologia Médica (LIM-53), Departamento de Dermatologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
| | - Julia M Figueiredo
- Laboratório de Fungos Dimórficos Patogênicos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
| | - Cássia M de Souza
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Biologia Molecular de Fungos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo, Cruz (Fiocruz), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Alessandro F Valdez
- Departments of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases) and Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Zamith-Miranda
- Departments of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases) and Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Aline C Camara
- Laboratório de Fungos Dimórficos Patogênicos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Micologia Médica (LIM-53), Departamento de Dermatologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos P Taborda
- Laboratório de Fungos Dimórficos Patogênicos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Micologia Médica (LIM-53), Departamento de Dermatologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, SP, Brazil
| | - Joshua D Nosanchuk
- Departments of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases) and Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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Heboyan A, Karobari MI, Marya A. Possible oral manifestation after vaccination against COVID-19: a case report. Oxf Med Case Reports 2022; 2022:omac136. [PMID: 36540847 PMCID: PMC9759947 DOI: 10.1093/omcr/omac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are not absolutely safe, and side effects might include oral manifestations, such as rash on the mucous membrane of the mouth and gingival hypertrophy. A 34-year-old male presented to the university dental clinic with malaise, high fever, weakness, tender gums, gingival hypertrophy, rashes on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and halitosis. Dental professionals must be able to identify and differentiate between lesions of different varieties. This manifestation may be a new feature that can be checked during the history recording and examination part of treatment for patients vaccinated against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artak Heboyan
- Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Stomatology, Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Mohmed Isaqali Karobari
- Department of Conservative & Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh, Cambodia,Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Anand Marya
- Correspondence address. Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh 12211, Cambodia. E-mail:
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18
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Designing mRNA- and Peptide-Based Vaccine Construct against Emerging Multidrug-Resistant Citrobacter freundii: A Computational-Based Subtractive Proteomics Approach. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2022; 58:medicina58101356. [PMID: 36295517 PMCID: PMC9610710 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58101356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii) is an emerging and opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria of the human gastrointestinal tract associated with nosocomial and severe respiratory tract infections. It has also been associated with pneumonia, bloodstream, and urinary tract infections. Intrinsic and adaptive virulence characteristics of C. freundii have become a significant source of diarrheal infections and food poisoning among immune-compromised patients and newborns. Impulsive usage of antibiotics and these adaptive virulence characteristics has modulated the C. freundii into multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Conventional approaches are futile against MDR C. freundii. Materials and Methods: The current study exploits the modern computational-based vaccine design approach to treat infections related to MDR C. freundii. A whole proteome of C. freundii (strain: CWH001) was retrieved to screen pathogenic and nonhomologous proteins. Six proteins were shortlisted for the selection of putative epitopes for vaccine construct. Highly antigenic, nonallergen, and nontoxic eleven B-cell, HTL, and TCL epitopes were selected for mRNA- and peptide-based multi-epitope vaccine construct. Secondary and tertiary structures of the multi-epitope vaccine (MEVC) were designed, refined, and validated. Results: Evaluation of population coverage of MHC-I and MHC-II alleles were 72% and 90%, respectively. Docking MEVC with TLR-3 receptor with the binding affinity of 21.46 (kcal/mol) occurred through the mmGBSA process. Further validations include codon optimization with an enhanced CAI value of 0.95 and GC content of about 51%. Immune stimulation and molecular dynamic simulation ensure the antibody production upon antigen interaction with the host and stability of the MEVC construct, respectively. Conclusions: These interpretations propose a new strategy to combat MDR C. freundii. Further, in vivo and in vitro trials of this vaccine will be valuable in combating MDR pathogens.
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Hammed-Akanmu M, Mim M, Osman AY, Sheikh AM, Behmard E, Rabaan AA, Suppain R, Hajissa K. Designing a Multi-Epitope Vaccine against Toxoplasma gondii: An Immunoinformatics Approach. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091389. [PMID: 36146470 PMCID: PMC9505382 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with the intracellular apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes serious clinical outcomes in both human and veterinary settings worldwide. Although approximately one-third of the world’s population is infected with T. gondii, an effective human vaccine for this disease remains unavailable. We aimed to design a potential T. gondii vaccine candidate that consisted of the B- and T-lymphocyte epitopes of three parasite immunogenic antigens. Firstly, the immunodominant epitopes expressed within the ROP2, MIC3, and GRA7 proteins of T. gondii were identified. Subsequently, six B-cell epitopes, five CTL epitopes, and five HTL epitopes were combined to generate a multi-epitope vaccine, and the 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 was added as an adjuvant to boost the vaccine’s immunogenicity. All these epitopes were found to be antigenic, nonallergenic, nontoxic, and nonhuman homologs. The designed vaccine construct has a molecular weight of 51 kDa, an antigenicity score of 0.6182, and a solubility of 0.903461. Likewise, the candidate vaccine was immunogenic, nonallergenic, and stable. Molecular docking analysis revealed stable interactions between the vaccine construct and the TLR-4 immune receptor. Meanwhile, the stability of the developed vaccine was validated using molecular dynamics simulation. In silico, the vaccine construct was able to trigger primary immune responses. However, further laboratory-based assessments are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutiat Hammed-Akanmu
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Maria Mim
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Abdinasir Yusuf Osman
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Abdulrahman M. Sheikh
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Esmaeil Behmard
- School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
| | - Rapeah Suppain
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (K.H.)
| | - Khalid Hajissa
- The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman P.O. Box 382, Sudan
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (K.H.)
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Naveed M, Sheraz M, Amin A, Waseem M, Aziz T, Khan AA, Ghani M, Shahzad M, Alruways MW, Dablool AS, Elazzazy AM, Almalki AA, Alamri AS, Alhomrani M. Designing a Novel Peptide-Based Multi-Epitope Vaccine to Evoke a Robust Immune Response against Pathogenic Multidrug-Resistant Providencia heimbachae. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081300. [PMID: 36016188 PMCID: PMC9413917 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Providencia heimbachae, a Gram -ve, rod-shaped, and opportunistic bacteria isolated from the urine, feces, and skin of humans engage in a wide range of infectious diseases such as urinary tract infection (UTI), gastroenteritis, and bacteremia. This bacterium belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family and can resist antibiotics known as multidrug-resistant (MDR), and as such can be life-threatening to humans. After retrieving the whole proteomic sequence of P. heimbachae ATCC 35613, a total of 6 non-homologous and pathogenic proteins were separated. These shortlisted proteins were further analyzed for epitope prediction and found to be highly non-toxic, non-allergenic, and antigenic. From these sequences, T-cell and B-cell (major histocompatibility complex class 1 and 2) epitopes were extracted that provided vaccine constructs, which were then analyzed for population coverage to find its reliability worldwide. The population coverage for MHC-1 and MHC-2 was 98.29% and 81.81%, respectively. Structural prediction was confirmed by validation through physiochemical molecular and immunological characteristics to design a stable and effective vaccine that could give positive results when injected into the body of the organism. Due to this approach, computational vaccines could be an effective alternative against pathogenic microbe since they cover a large population with positive results. In the end, the given findings may help the experimental vaccinologists to develop a very potent and effective peptide-based vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (M.N.); (T.A.)
| | - Mohsin Sheraz
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Aatif Amin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Waseem
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Pak-Austria Fachhochschule, Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Mang, Haripur 22621, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (M.N.); (T.A.)
| | - Ayaz Ali Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara 18800, Pakistan
| | - Mustajab Ghani
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar 25100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shahzad
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar 25100, Pakistan
| | - Mashael W. Alruways
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra 15273, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anas S. Dablool
- Department of Public Health, Health Sciences College Al-Leith, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah al-Mukarammah 24382, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M. Elazzazy
- Chemistry of Natural and Microbial Products Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Abdulraheem Ali Almalki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulhakeem S. Alamri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majid Alhomrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
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Regulation of Host Immune Response against Enterobacter cloacae Proteins via Computational mRNA Vaccine Design through Transcriptional Modification. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081621. [PMID: 36014038 PMCID: PMC9415879 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterobacter cloacae is mainly responsible for sepsis, urethritis, and respiratory tract infections. These bacteria may affect the transcription of the host and particularly their immune system by producing changes in their epigenetics. In the present study, four proteins of Enterobacter cloacae were used to predict the epitopes for the construction of an mRNA vaccine against Enterobacter cloacae infections. In order to generate cellular and humoral responses, various immunoinformatic-based approaches were used for developing the vaccine. The molecular docking analysis was performed for predicting the interaction among the chosen epitopes and corresponding MHC alleles. The vaccine was developed by combining epitopes (thirty-three total), which include the adjuvant Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4). The constructed vaccine was analyzed and predicted to cover 99.2% of the global population. Additionally, in silico immunological modeling of the vaccination was also carried out. When it enters the cytoplasm of the human (host), the codon is optimized to generate the translated mRNA efficiently. Moreover, the peptide structures were analyzed and docked with TLR-3 and TLR-4. A dynamic simulation predicted the stability of the binding complex. The assumed construct was considered to be a potential candidate for a vaccine against Enterobacter cloacae infections. Hence, the proposed construct is suitable for in vitro analyses to validate its effectiveness.
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22
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COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis: A Matter of Concern Amid the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081266. [PMID: 36016154 PMCID: PMC9415927 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection caused by fungi belonging to order Mucorales. Recently, with the increase in COVID-19 infections, mucormycosis infections have become a matter of concern globally, because of the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with them. Due to the association of mucormycosis with COVID-19 disease, it has been termed COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). In the present review, we focus on mucormycosis incidence, pathophysiology, risk factors, immune dysfunction, interactions of Mucorales with endothelial cells, and the possible role of iron in Mucorales growth. We review the limitations associated with current diagnostic procedures and the requirement for more specific, cost-effective, convenient, and sensitive assays, such as PCR-based assays and monoclonal antibody-based assays for the effective diagnosis of mucormycosis. We discuss the current treatment options involving antifungal drug therapies, adjunctive therapy, surgical treatment, and their limitations. We also review the importance of nutraceuticals-based therapy for the prevention as well as treatment of mucormycosis. Our review also highlights the need to explore the potential of novel immunotherapeutics, which include antibody-based therapy, cytokine-based therapy, and combination/synergistic antifungal therapy, as treatment options for mucormycosis. In summary, this review provides a complete overview of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis, addressing the current research gaps and future developments required in the field.
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Vasan PK, Shinde O, Banga KS, Basha S, Karobari MI, Basheer SN, Mirza MB, Pawar AM. COVID-19 Contraction Among Dental Healthcare Workers in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics - A Retrospective Analysis During the Pandemic. Healthc Policy 2022; 15:1243-1252. [PMID: 35769498 PMCID: PMC9234192 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s368076] [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: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major challenges for the healthcare sector across the globe including dental healthcare workers (DHCWs) due to the increased risk of transmission of virus during aerosol-generating procedures. We conducted the present retrospective analysis determining the risk of contraction of COVID-19 infection among DHCWs since the outbreak of the pandemic for a year (March 2020 through March 2021) in Mumbai. Methods In total, 18,058 patients visited the Nair Hospital Dental College for dental treatment related to the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics during the assessed year. All the patients were subjected to intensive triage, which included recording their body temperature, oxygen saturation level, travel, and COVID-19 exposure history. Results A total of 26 DHCWs were responsible for attending and treating the patients with all the standard infection control measures. Seventy-four (0.40%) patients out of 18058 were referred for a nasal rapid antigen test (RAT) on giving a positive affirmation about COVID-19 like symptoms when screened at the triage. Of those 74 patients referred, 20 reported a positive nasal rapid antigen test and the infection was confirmed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Among 26, 9 (34,7%) DCHWs were found to have contracted the infection during the assessed year. Conclusion The analysis found that the risk of COVID-19 infection contraction amongst the DHCWs is considerably less. This could be attributed to the intensive triage and the preventive measures taken while rendering treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purveet Kaur Vasan
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India
| | - Omkar Shinde
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India
| | - Kulvinder Singh Banga
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India
| | - Sakeenabi Basha
- Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohmed Isaqali Karobari
- Department of Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh, 12211, Cambodia.,Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600077, India
| | - Syed Nahid Basheer
- Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mubashir Baig Mirza
- Conservative Dental Science Department, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ajinkya M Pawar
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400008, India
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Naveed M, Yaseen AR, Khalid H, Ali U, Rabaan AA, Garout M, Halwani MA, Al Mutair A, Alhumaid S, Al Alawi Z, Alhashem YN, Ahmed N, Yean CY. Execution and Design of an Anti HPIV-1 Vaccine with Multiple Epitopes Triggering Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses: An Immunoinformatic Approach. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10060869. [PMID: 35746477 PMCID: PMC9228812 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10060869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Parainfluenza Virus (HPIV) Type-1, which is an anti-sense ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus belonging to the paramyxoviridae family, induces upper and lower respiratory tract infections. The infections caused by the HPIV Type-1 virus are usually confined to northwestern regions of America. HPIV-1 causes infections through the virulence of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein, which plays a key role in the attachment of the viral particle with the host’s receptor cells. To the best of our knowledge, there is no effective antiviral drugs or vaccines being developed to combat the infection caused by HPIV-1. In the current study, a multiple epitope-based vaccine was designed against HPIV-1 by taking the viral HN protein as a probable vaccine candidate. The multiple epitopes were selected in accordance with their allergenicity, antigenicity and toxicity scoring. The determined epitopes of the HN protein were connected simultaneously using specific conjugates along with an adjuvant to construct the subunit vaccine, with an antigenicity score of 0.6406. The constructed vaccine model was docked with various Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) and was computationally cloned in a pET28a (+) vector to analyze the expression of vaccine sequence in the biological system. Immune stimulations carried out by the C-ImmSim Server showed an excellent result of the body’s defense system against the constructed vaccine model. The AllerTop tool predicted that the construct was non-allergen with and without the adjuvant sequence, and the VaxiJen 2.0 with 0.4 threshold predicted that the construct was antigenic, while the Toxinpred predicted that the construct was non-toxic. Protparam results showed that the selected protein was stable with 36.48 instability index (II) scores. The Grand average of Hydropathicity or GRAVY score indicated that the constructed protein was hydrophilic in nature. Aliphatic index values (93.53) confirmed that the construct was thermostable. This integrated computational approach shows that the constructed vaccine model has a potential to combat laryngotracheobronchitis infections caused by HPIV-I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (A.R.Y.); (U.A.)
- Correspondence: (M.N.); (A.A.R.); (C.Y.Y.)
| | - Allah Rakha Yaseen
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (A.R.Y.); (U.A.)
| | - Hira Khalid
- Department of Medical Education, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan;
| | - Urooj Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (A.R.Y.); (U.A.)
| | - Ali A. Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (M.N.); (A.A.R.); (C.Y.Y.)
| | - Mohamed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Muhammad A. Halwani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha 4781, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Abbas Al Mutair
- Research Center, Almoosa Specialist Hospital, Al-Ahsa 36342, Saudi Arabia;
- College of Nursing, Princess Norah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
- School of Nursing, Wollongong University, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Saad Alhumaid
- Administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Al-Ahsa Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Zainab Al Alawi
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Yousef N. Alhashem
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Mohammed AlMana College of Health Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Naveed Ahmed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Malaysia;
| | - Chan Yean Yean
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: (M.N.); (A.A.R.); (C.Y.Y.)
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