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Updated: Sep 12, 2025
A High Throughput MHC II Binding Assay for Quantitative Analysis of Peptide Epitopes
Published on: March 25, 2014
In Silico Identification of Antigenic Peptides and multi-epitope Vaccine Design against Trichomonas Vaginalis
Essebbar Ikram1, Cuneyd Yavas1,2, Nermin Akcali1,2
1Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Biruni University, 75 Sk No:1-13 M. G, Merkezefendi, Zeytinburnu, İstanbul, 34015, Turkey.
Background:
Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiological agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. The increasing resistance to metronidazole, currently the only FDA-approved treatment, necessitates the development of a novel vaccine to prevent and control this infection.
Methods:
In this study, an in silico immunoinformatics pipeline was employed to identify antigenic peptides and construct a multi-epitope vaccine candidate targeting T. vaginalis. Surface and secretory proteins were retrieved and analyzed for antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity. B-cell and T-cell epitopes were predicted using IEDB tools and evaluated based on their binding affinity to common MHC class I and II alleles. Suitable linkers (GPGPG, AAY, EAAAK) and an HBHA adjuvant were incorporated to enhance immunogenicity.
Results:
The final vaccine construct consisted of 1081 amino acids and demonstrated high antigenicity, non-allergenicity, and non-toxicity. Structural predictions revealed favorable solubility and stability characteristics. Immune simulations indicated strong humoral and cellular immune responses. Population coverage analysis showed broad global applicability, particularly in European populations.
Conclusion:
This in silico designed multi-epitope vaccine shows strong potential as a preventive strategy against T. vaginalis. Further experimental validation through in vitro and in vivo studies is necessary to confirm its immunogenicity and protective efficacy.
