Design a multi-epitope vaccine targeting Chlamydia psittaci plasmid proteins through reverse vaccinology

Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci, Cps), a zoonotic cause of ornithosis, with symptoms like fever, and respiratory issues, is commonly misdiagnosed as the common cold but often leads to pneumonia. As of now, no approved vaccines exist for C. psittaci, with past efforts to devise a safe and effective preventive measure having failed. Prior research indicates that plasmid proteins are instrumental in the disease's pathogenesis but suffer from its toxicity.Presently, our research utilizes a reverse vaccinology-based immunoinformatic approach which can increase the immunogenicity and diminish the toxicity of these plasmid proteins. The final multi-epitope subunit vaccine incorporated eight B cell epitopes, five cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, and two helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes along with linkers. The developed vaccine is then submitted for structural prediction and property evaluation. Advanced computational techniques, including molecular docking and dynamic simulations, were utilized to investigate the interaction between the vaccine and adjuvant. The multi-epitope subunit vaccine we developed demonstrated promising properties in antigenicity and immunity theoretically. Both immune simulations and in vivo experiments in a mouse model demonstrated the potential efficacy of the vaccine. Vaccinated mice demonstrated a strong humoral immune response, marked by the generation of high levels of antigen-specific serum IgG antibodies, including IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG3. Simultaneously, the vaccine elicited a Th1-biased cytokine profile, marked by elevated levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Although the vaccine candidate demonstrated strong immunogenicity in mouse models, further validation in larger animal studies and clinical trials is essential to confirm its efficacy and safety.