Design of a Chimeric Multi-Epitope Vaccine (CMEV) against Both Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania orientalis Parasites Using Immunoinformatic Approaches
Issued Date
2022-10-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20797737
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85140379553
Journal Title
Biology
Volume
11
Issue
10
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Biology Vol.11 No.10 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Imaizumi K., Phurahong T., Siripattanapipong S., Choowongkomon K., Leelayoova S., Mungthin M., E-kobon T., Unajak S. Design of a Chimeric Multi-Epitope Vaccine (CMEV) against Both Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania orientalis Parasites Using Immunoinformatic Approaches. Biology Vol.11 No.10 (2022). doi:10.3390/biology11101460 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/83124
Title
Design of a Chimeric Multi-Epitope Vaccine (CMEV) against Both Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania orientalis Parasites Using Immunoinformatic Approaches
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by protozoan flagellates of the genus Leishmania. Recently, Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania orientalis, emerging species of Leishmania, were isolated from patients in Thailand. Development of the vaccine is demanded; however, genetic differences between the two species make it difficult to design a vaccine that is effective for both species. In this study, we applied immuno-informatic approaches to design a chimeric multi-epitope vaccine (CMEV) against both L. martiniquensis and L. orientalis. We identified seven helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, sixteen cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, and eleven B-cell epitopes from sixteen conserved antigenic proteins found in both species. All these epitopes were joined together, and to further enhance immunogenicity, protein and peptides adjuvant were also added at the N-terminal of the molecule by using specific linkers. The candidate CMEV was subsequently analyzed from the perspectives of the antigenicity, allergenicity, and physiochemical properties. The interaction of the designed multi-epitope vaccine and immune receptor (TLR4) of the host were evaluated based on molecular dockings of the predicted 3D structures. Finally, in silico cloning was performed to construct the expression vaccine vector. Docking analysis showed that the vaccine/TLR4 complex took a stable form. Based on the predicted immunogenicity, physicochemical, and structural properties in silico, the vaccine candidate was expected to be appropriately expressed in bacterial expression systems and show the potential to induce a host immune response. This study proposes the experimental validation of the efficacy of the candidate vaccine construct against the two Leishmania.