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Immunoinformatics-based multi-epitope vaccine design for the re-emerging monkeypox virus.
Mahour Farzan1, Mahan Farzan1, Yousef Mirzaei2
1Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
International Immunopharmacology
|August 9, 2023
Summary
This study developed a novel multi-epitope vaccine for monkeypox virus (MPXV) using immunoinformatics. The designed vaccine is safe, stable, and stimulates innate immunity, showing promise for MPXV prevention.
Area of Science:
- Vaccinology
- Immunoinformatics
- Virology
Background:
- Monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreaks have increased globally since May 2022, predominantly affecting the men who have sex with men (MSM) community.
- Over 80,000 cases were reported worldwide by May 2023, highlighting the urgent need for effective countermeasures.
- MPXV pathogenesis involves structural and cell surface proteins, making them targets for vaccine development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and computationally evaluate a multi-epitope vaccine for the monkeypox virus (MPXV).
- To identify and select promising B and T lymphocyte epitopes from MPXV structural and cell surface proteins.
- To formulate a stable and effective vaccine construct using immunoinformatics and molecular simulation techniques.
Main Methods:
- Protein sequences were retrieved and analyzed for T and B cell epitopes using the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB).
- Selected epitopes were linked and formulated into a multi-epitope vaccine construct, with secondary and tertiary structures predicted using immunoinformatics.
- Vaccine efficacy was assessed via molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and evaluation of interactions with toll-like receptors (TLR3 and TLR4).
Main Results:
- The immunoinformatics evaluation indicated the vaccine construct is safe, hydrophilic, and stable under various conditions.
- The designed vaccine demonstrated the potential to stimulate innate immunity through binding to TLR3 and TLR4.
- Computational analyses confirmed the vaccine's potential efficacy and stability.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully designed a promising multi-epitope vaccine candidate against MPXV using computational approaches.
- The vaccine's design incorporates key structural and cell surface epitopes, potentially offering a novel antiviral strategy.
- Further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary to validate the efficacy and safety of this MPXV vaccine candidate.
