Immunogenomics guided design of immunomodulatory multi-epitope subunit vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 new variants, and its validation through in silico cloning and immune simulation. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khan, Abbas; Khan, Shahzeb; Saleem, Shoaib; Nizam-Uddin, N.; Mohammad, Anwar; Khan, Taimoor; Ahmad, Sajjad; Arshad, Muhammad; Ali, Syed Shujait; Suleman, Muhammad; Wei, Dong-Qing
• Is Part Of: Computers in biology and medicine. Volume 133(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- New variant -- Vaccine designing -- In silico cloning -- Immune simulation; Medicine -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Biology -- Data processing -- Periodicals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104420
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0010-4825

Abstract

Abstract: Reports of the novel and more contagious strains of SARS-CoV-2 originating in different countries have further aggravated the pandemic situation. The recent substitutions in spike protein may be critical for the virus to evade the host's immune system and therapeutics that have already been developed. Thus, this study has employed an immunoinformatics pipeline to target the spike protein of this novel strain to construct an immunogenic epitope (CTL, HTL, and B cell) vaccine against the new variant. Our investigation revealed that 12 different epitopes imparted a critical role in immune response induction. This was validated by an exploration of physiochemical properties and experimental feasibility. In silico and host immune simulation confirmed the expression and induction of both primary and secondary immune factors such as IL, cytokines, and antibodies. The current study warrants further lab experiments to demonstrate its efficacy and safety. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 new variants, it is now spreading very fast. The new variant may evade the host immune system and the already developed vaccine may or may not work. In the current study we designed multi-epitopes vaccine subunit vaccine from the Spike protein of the new variants. The efficacy of the vaccine which confirmed that the final MEVC is a potential vaccine against the variant. Further clarified that the MEVC potentially expressed well and provoked the immune response upon injection.