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Rayati Damavandi A, Dowran R, Al Sharif S, Kashanchi F, Jafari R. Molecular variants of SARS-CoV-2: antigenic properties and current vaccine efficacy. Med Microbiol Immunol 2022; 211:79-103. [PMID: 35235048 PMCID: PMC8889515 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-022-00729-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
An ongoing pandemic of newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 has puzzled many scientists and health care policymakers around the globe. The appearance of the virus was accompanied by several distinct antigenic changes, specifically spike protein which is a key element for host cell entry of virus and major target of currently developing vaccines. Some of these mutations enable the virus to attach to receptors more firmly and easily. Moreover, a growing number of trials are demonstrating higher transmissibility and, in some of them, potentially more serious forms of illness related to novel variants. Some of these lineages, especially the Beta variant of concern, were reported to diminish the neutralizing activity of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies present in both convalescent and vaccine sera. This could imply that these independently emerged variants could make antiviral strategies prone to serious threats. The rapid changes in the mutational profile of new clades, especially escape mutations, suggest the convergent evolution of the virus due to immune pressure. Nevertheless, great international efforts have been dedicated to producing efficacious vaccines with cutting-edge technologies. Despite the partial decrease in vaccines efficacy against worrisome clades, most current vaccines are still effective at preventing mild to severe forms of disease and hospital admission or death due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we summarize existing evidence about newly emerged variants of SARS-CoV-2 and, notably, how well vaccines work against targeting new variants and modifications of highly flexible mRNA vaccines that might be required in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirmasoud Rayati Damavandi
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Exceptional Talents Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Razieh Dowran
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Exceptional Talents Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sarah Al Sharif
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA
| | - Fatah Kashanchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA
| | - Reza Jafari
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. .,Hematology, Immune Cell Therapy, and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
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Lucchese G, Jahantigh HR, De Benedictis L, Lovreglio P, Stufano A. An Epitope Platform for Safe and Effective HTLV-1-Immunization: Potential Applications for mRNA and Peptide-Based Vaccines. Viruses 2021; 13:1461. [PMID: 34452327 PMCID: PMC8402675 DOI: 10.3390/v13081461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection affects millions of individuals worldwide and can lead to severe leukemia, myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, and numerous other disorders. Pursuing a safe and effective immunotherapeutic approach, we compared the viral polyprotein and the human proteome with a sliding window approach in order to identify oligopeptide sequences unique to the virus. The immunological relevance of the viral unique oligopeptides was assessed by searching them in the immune epitope database (IEDB). We found that HTLV-1 has 15 peptide stretches each consisting of uniquely viral non-human pentapeptides which are ideal candidate for a safe and effective anti-HTLV-1 vaccine. Indeed, experimentally validated HTLV-1 epitopes, as retrieved from the IEDB, contain peptide sequences also present in a vast number of human proteins, thus potentially instituting the basis for cross-reactions. We found a potential for cross-reactivity between the virus and the human proteome and described an epitope platform to be used in order to avoid it, thus obtaining effective, specific, and safe immunization. Potential advantages for mRNA and peptide-based vaccine formulations are discussed.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Databases, Genetic
- Epitope Mapping
- Epitopes/chemistry
- Epitopes/genetics
- Epitopes/immunology
- HTLV-I Infections/immunology
- HTLV-I Infections/prevention & control
- HTLV-I Infections/virology
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/chemistry
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/genetics
- Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/immunology
- Humans
- Immunization
- RNA, Messenger/chemistry
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/immunology
- Vaccines, Subunit/chemistry
- Vaccines, Subunit/genetics
- Vaccines, Subunit/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/chemistry
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
- Viral Vaccines/chemistry
- Viral Vaccines/genetics
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- mRNA Vaccines/chemistry
- mRNA Vaccines/genetics
- mRNA Vaccines/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Lucchese
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hamid Reza Jahantigh
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine-Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (H.R.J.); (L.D.B.); (P.L.); (A.S.)
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Doctoral Program, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Leonarda De Benedictis
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine-Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (H.R.J.); (L.D.B.); (P.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Piero Lovreglio
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine-Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (H.R.J.); (L.D.B.); (P.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Angela Stufano
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine-Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (H.R.J.); (L.D.B.); (P.L.); (A.S.)
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Doctoral Program, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010 Bari, Italy
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Lucchese G, Kanduc D. Minimal immune determinants connect Zika virus, human Cytomegalovirus, and Toxoplasma gondii to microcephaly-related human proteins. Am J Reprod Immunol 2016; 77. [PMID: 27878897 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aiming at the molecular definition of the relationship(s) between prenatal infections and fetal microcephaly and using pentapeptides as minimal immune determinants, we analyzed the peptide matching between proteins from infectious agents involved in microcephalic syndromes (namely Zika virus, human Cytomegalovirus, and Toxoplasma gondii) and human proteins that, when altered, have been specifically associated with microcephaly. We report that an unexpected high number of epitopic pentapeptides (ie, 34) are common to the three fetopathogenic agents and repeatedly occur throughout an important number of microcephaly-related human proteins. The data introduce the issue of multiple cross-reactivity into the etiology on ZIKV-associated pathologies. Indeed, the commonality of immune determinants might lead to a sequence of boostered immune responses if the host undergoes different fetopathogenic infections, thus temporally scanning a potential clinical progression toward brain malformations. At this juncture, the past history of maternal infections/vaccinations might dictate the fetal pathologic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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Kanduc D, Fasano C, Bavaro SL, Novello G, Lucchese G, Capone G. Peptide profiling of the route from Mahoney to Sabin, and return. J Basic Microbiol 2014; 54:369-77. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201200642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Candida Fasano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Simona Lucia Bavaro
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Giuseppe Novello
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Guglielmo Lucchese
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences; University of Bari; Bari Italy
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Lucchese G, Capone G, Kanduc D. Peptide sharing between influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin and human axon guidance proteins. Schizophr Bull 2014; 40:362-75. [PMID: 23378012 PMCID: PMC3932078 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbs197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic data suggest that maternal microbial infections may cause fetal neurodevelopmental disorders, potentially increasing susceptibility to heavy psychopathologies such as schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, autism, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorders, psychosis, epilepsy, language and speech disorders, and cognitive impairment in adult offspring. However, the molecular pathomechanisms underlying such a relationship are not clear. Here we analyze the potential role of the maternal immune response to viral infection in determining fetal brain injuries that increase the risk of neurological disorders in the adult. We use influenza infection as a disease model and human axon guidance pathway, a key process in the formation of neural network during midgestation, as a potential fetal target of immune insults. Specifically, we examined influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin (HA), an antigenic viral protein, for amino acid sequence similarity to a random library of 188 axon guidance proteins. We obtain the results that (1) contrary to any theoretical expectations, 45 viral pentapeptide matches are distributed throughout a subset of 36 guidance molecules; (2) in 24 guidance proteins, the peptide sharing with HA antigen involves already experimentally validated influenza HA epitopes; and (3) most of the axon guidance vs HA peptide overlap is conserved among influenza A viral strains and subsets. Taken together, our data indicate that immune cross-reactivity between influenza HA and axon guidance molecules is possible and may well represent a pathologic mechanism capable of determining neurodevelopmental disruption in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Lucchese
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +39.080.544.3321, fax: +39.080.544.3317, e-mail:
| | - Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy,To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +39.080.544.3321, fax: +39.080.544.3317, e-mail:
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Capone G, Calabrò M, Lucchese G, Fasano C, Girardi B, Polimeno L, Kanduc D. Peptide matching between Epstein-Barr virus and human proteins. Pathog Dis 2013; 69:205-12. [DOI: 10.1111/2049-632x.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Michele Calabrò
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Guglielmo Lucchese
- Brain and Language Laboratory; Cluster of Excellence “Languages of Emotions”; Free University of Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Candida Fasano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Bruna Girardi
- Section of Gastroenterology; Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO); University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Lorenzo Polimeno
- Section of Gastroenterology; Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO); University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics; University of Bari; Bari Italy
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Pleguezuelos O, Stoloff GA, Caparrós-Wanderley W. Synthetic immunotherapy induces HIV virus specific Th1 cytotoxic response and death of an HIV-1 infected human cell line through classic complement activation. Virol J 2013; 10:107. [PMID: 23557359 PMCID: PMC3626621 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-10-107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This manuscript describes the development of a novel synthetic immunotherapy (HIV-v) composed of four multi-epitope polypeptides targeting conserved regions in the Nef, Rev, Vif and Vpr viral proteins. Immunogenicity and cytotoxicity of HIV-v are discussed. Methods Short conserved T-cell multi-epitope regions were identified in silico in the HIV proteome. The immunogenicity of the identified HIV-v polypeptides was assessed in vivo by immunisation of C57BLK6 mice transgenic for HLA-A*0201. Splenocytes from immunised animals were exposed in vitro to soluble HIV-v polypeptides or to syngeneic (T1) or allogeneic (Jurkat) cells transfected with these polypeptides. Specific T-cell reactivity was assessed by cell-based IFN-γ ELISA. Virus specific CD3 + CD8+ IFN-γ+ recall responses were also determined by flow cytometry following in vitro exposure of splenocytes from immunised mice to syngeneic (T1) and allogeneic (H9) cells infected with HIV-1 strain IIIB. HIV-v specific antibodies were quantified by ELISA whilst antibody mediated anti-viral immunotherapeutic effect on T1 cells infected with a laboratory adapted and a primary isolate of the HIV-1 virus was assessed in a LDH-based complement mediated lysis assay. Results HIV-v elicited antigen-specific IgG and IFN−γ responses against the synthetic polypeptides in the formulation. HIV-v specific T cells recognised polypeptides presented either as soluble antigen or complexed to HLA-A*0201 following natural processing and presentation by syngeneic human T1 cells. Moreover, the CD3 + CD8+ component of the response recognised syngeneic T1 cells naturally infected with HIV-1 in a virus-specific and MHC restricted-manner. The HIV-v specific IgG response was also able to recognise human T1 cells naturally infected with HIV-1 and induce cell death through classic activation of complement. Conclusions HIV-v induces a vaccine-specific type I immune response characterised by activation of effector CD8+ T cell and antibody responses that recognise and kill human cell lines naturally infected with a laboratory adapted and a primary isolate of the HIV-1 virus. The data supports the hypothesis that alternative HIV protein targets can be effectively used to prime both cellular and antibody immune responses of clinical value in the prevention and treatment of HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Pleguezuelos
- Research and Development, SEEK, 45 Beech Street, London, EC2Y 8AD, UK.
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Capone G, Pagoni M, Delfino AP, Kanduc D. Evidence for a vast peptide overlap between West Nile virus and human proteomes. J Basic Microbiol 2012; 53:800-7. [PMID: 22961336 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201200204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The primary amino acid sequence of West Nile virus (WNV) polyprotein, GenBank accession number M12294, was analyzed by computional biology. WNV is a mosquito-borne neurotropic flavivirus that has emerged globally as a significant cause of viral encephalitis in humans. Using pentapeptides as scanning units and the perfect peptide match program from PIR International Protein Sequence Database, we compared the WNV polyprotein and the human proteome. WNV polyprotein showed significant sequence similarities to a number of human proteins. Several of these proteins are involved in embryogenesis, neurite outgrowth, cortical neuron branching, formation of mature synapses, semaphorin interactions, and voltage dependent L-type calcium channel subunits. The biocomputional study suggest that common amino acid segments might represent a potential platform for further studies on the neurological pathophysiology of WNV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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Kanduc D. Homology, similarity, and identity in peptide epitope immunodefinition. J Pept Sci 2012; 18:487-94. [PMID: 22696298 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2012] [Revised: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The tendency to use the terms homology, similarity, and identity interchangeably persists in comparative biology. When translated to immunology, overlapping the concepts of homology, similarity, and identity complicates the exact definition of the self-nonself dichotomy and, in particular, affects immunopeptidomics, an emerging field aimed at cataloging and distinguishing immunoreactive peptide epitopes from silent nonreactive amino acid sequences. The definition of similar/dissimilar peptides in immunology is discussed with special attention to the analysis of immunological (dis)similarity between two or more protein sequences that equates to measuring sequence similarity with the use of a proper measurement unit such as a length determinant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
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Lucchese G. A peptide talk between JC virus and the human host: from silent infection to autoimmunity. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2012; 34:1067-74. [PMID: 22594935 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2012.686510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of JC virus (JCV) polyprotein for peptide sharing with the human proteome reveals that the virus has hundreds of pentapeptide sequences in common with the human proteins. The datum is interesting in light of the fundamental role exerted by short amino acid sequences in protein-protein interactions and, consequently, in biochemical reactions and immune recognition. Searching for new approaches to understand the JCV infection scenarios, from the immunoevasion phenomenon underlying the viral asymptomatic stay in the human host to the (re)activation phase and associated pathogenic sequelae, the present study describes the diffuse pentapeptide communication network between JCV and the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Lucchese
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bari, Italy.
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Lucchese G, Pesce Delfino A. Developing an anti-Campylobacter jejunivaccine. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2012; 34:385-90. [DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2011.608685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Capone G, Novello G, Bavaro SL, Fasano C, Pesce Delfino A, Polito AN, Kanduc D. A qualitative description of the peptide sharing between poliovirus and Homo sapiens. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2012; 34:779-85. [PMID: 22303874 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2012.654610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In a companion paper, we reported that pentapeptides from human poliovirus 1, Mahoney strain, occur repeatedly in human proteins for a total of more than 18,000 overlaps. In the present study, we describe the distribution of the polio pentapeptides throughout biochemical pathways and networks characterizing functions and tissues in the human host. The present study might be of help to better define the poliovirus-host relationships as well as for designing peptide modules with anti-polio activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universityof Bari, Bari, Italy
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Novello G, Capone G, Fasano C, Bavaro SL, Polito AN, Kanduc D. A quantitative description of the peptide sharing between poliovirus and Homo sapiens. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2011; 34:373-8. [PMID: 22145926 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2011.608360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we analyze the peptide commonality between poliovirus polyprotein and the human proteins. We report on the following findings: (1) the extent of polio peptide overlap on the human proteome is high, and involves the entire viral polyprotein; (2) viral peptide matching affects human proteins linked to fundamental cellular functions. The data may help to further our understanding of the relationships between poliovirus and the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Novello
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bari, Italy
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Fasano C, Kanduc D. Selfness-nonselfness in designing an anti-B19 erythrovirus vaccine. SELF/NONSELF 2011; 2:114-119. [PMID: 22299063 PMCID: PMC3268997 DOI: 10.4161/self.2.2.16190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2011] [Revised: 06/14/2011] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although B19 erythrovirus infection may be associated with severe clinical outcomes, especially in early infancy, pregnancy and in immunocompromised or hemolytic subjects, no vaccine is currently available. Using the concept that effective immune responses to an infectious agent may be restricted to the specific peptidome unique to that agent, we analyzed primary amino acid sequence of B19 erythrovirus, searching for peptide motifs to be used in vaccine formulations. Here, we identify and describe a set of unique viral peptides that may guarantee both high efficacy and practically no cross-reactive autoimmune responses in anti-B19 immunotherapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candida Fasano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University of Bari; Bari, Italy
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Kanduc D. HCV: Written in our DNA. SELF NONSELF 2011; 2:108-113. [PMID: 22299062 DOI: 10.4161/self.2.2.15795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
An inspection of the sequence similarity between the hepatitis C virus (HCV) polyprotein and human proteins revealed a high level of peptide sharing, with a limited number of motifs unique to the virus (i.e., with no counterpart in the human proteome). Using pentapeptide matching, only 214 motifs out of a total of 3,007 (7.11%) identified HCV as nonself compared to the Homo sapiens proteome. However, this virus-versus-human phenetic difference disappeared at the genetic level. Indeed, a BLAST analysis of pentadecameric oligodeoxynucleotide sequences corresponding to the 214 pentapeptides unique to HCV revealed that almost all of them are present in the human genome, located in the non-coding strand, introns, and/or pseudogenes, thus being, as such, untranslatable. The present data warn against using DNA-based vaccines to fight HCV infection and emphasize peptide uniqueness as the molecular basis for designing effective anti-HCV immunotherapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University of Bari; Bari, Italy
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