Development of HPV_16,18,31,45 E5 and E7 peptides-based vaccines predicted by immunoinformatics tools

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Viral oncoproteins from high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are key targets for therapeutic vaccines.
• Developing effective vaccines requires precise identification and design of immunogenic peptide constructs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate peptide constructs derived from E5 and E7 oncoproteins of high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 45) for therapeutic vaccine development.
• To assess the in silico and in vivo potency of these peptide constructs.

Main Methods:

• Bioinformatic tools were employed to design peptide constructs from HPV E5 and E7 oncoproteins.
• In silico analyses included determining physicochemical properties, identifying IFN-γ-inducing epitopes, assessing allergenicity, and recognizing B cell epitopes.
• In vivo studies evaluated immune responses and tumor protection in a mouse model.

Main Results:

• In silico predictions indicated high potency of designed HPV peptides for triggering B- and T-cell responses and IFN-γ secretion.
• In vivo studies demonstrated that a mixture of E5 and E7 immunodominant peptides induced a Th1 immune response.
• The peptide mixture provided complete protection against TC-1 tumor cells in mice.

Conclusions:

• The combined in silico and in vivo approaches validated the potential of designed E5 and E7 peptide constructs.
• These constructs derived from four major high-risk HPV types show promise for developing effective therapeutic vaccines against HPV-induced cancers.