Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis
The global health crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, has resulted in a negative impact on human health and on social and economic activities worldwide. Researchers around the globe need to design and develop successful therape...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Immunology Research |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8893483 |
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| author | Hamza Arshad Dar Yasir Waheed Muzammil Hasan Najmi Saba Ismail Helal F. Hetta Amjad Ali Khalid Muhammad |
| author_facet | Hamza Arshad Dar Yasir Waheed Muzammil Hasan Najmi Saba Ismail Helal F. Hetta Amjad Ali Khalid Muhammad |
| author_sort | Hamza Arshad Dar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global health crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, has resulted in a negative impact on human health and on social and economic activities worldwide. Researchers around the globe need to design and develop successful therapeutics as well as vaccines against the novel COVID-19 disease. In the present study, we conducted comprehensive computer-assisted analysis on the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 in order to design a safe and potent multiepitope vaccine. In silico epitope prioritization shortlisted six HLA I epitopes and six B-cell-derived HLA II epitopes. These high-ranked epitopes were all connected to each other via flexible GPGPG linkers, and at the N-terminus side, the sequence of Cholera Toxin β subunit was attached via an EAAAK linker. Structural modeling of the vaccine was performed, and molecular docking analysis strongly suggested a positive association of a multiepitope vaccine with Toll-like Receptor 3. The structural investigations of the vaccine-TLR3 complex revealed the formation of fifteen interchain hydrogen bonds, thus validating its integrity and stability. Moreover, it was found that this interaction was thermodynamically feasible. In conclusion, our data supports the proposition that a multiepitope vaccine will provide protective immunity against COVID-19. However, further in vivo and in vitro experiments are needed to validate the immunogenicity and safety of the candidate vaccine. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ba0bd76cf02d44b5b8afeefe5754c333 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2314-8861 2314-7156 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Immunology Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-ba0bd76cf02d44b5b8afeefe5754c3332025-02-03T01:27:56ZengWileyJournal of Immunology Research2314-88612314-71562020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88934838893483Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico AnalysisHamza Arshad Dar0Yasir Waheed1Muzammil Hasan Najmi2Saba Ismail3Helal F. Hetta4Amjad Ali5Khalid Muhammad6Foundation University Medical College, Foundation University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, PakistanFoundation University Medical College, Foundation University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, PakistanFoundation University Medical College, Foundation University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, PakistanFoundation University Medical College, Foundation University Islamabad, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0595, USAAtta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, UAEThe global health crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, has resulted in a negative impact on human health and on social and economic activities worldwide. Researchers around the globe need to design and develop successful therapeutics as well as vaccines against the novel COVID-19 disease. In the present study, we conducted comprehensive computer-assisted analysis on the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 in order to design a safe and potent multiepitope vaccine. In silico epitope prioritization shortlisted six HLA I epitopes and six B-cell-derived HLA II epitopes. These high-ranked epitopes were all connected to each other via flexible GPGPG linkers, and at the N-terminus side, the sequence of Cholera Toxin β subunit was attached via an EAAAK linker. Structural modeling of the vaccine was performed, and molecular docking analysis strongly suggested a positive association of a multiepitope vaccine with Toll-like Receptor 3. The structural investigations of the vaccine-TLR3 complex revealed the formation of fifteen interchain hydrogen bonds, thus validating its integrity and stability. Moreover, it was found that this interaction was thermodynamically feasible. In conclusion, our data supports the proposition that a multiepitope vaccine will provide protective immunity against COVID-19. However, further in vivo and in vitro experiments are needed to validate the immunogenicity and safety of the candidate vaccine.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8893483 |
| spellingShingle | Hamza Arshad Dar Yasir Waheed Muzammil Hasan Najmi Saba Ismail Helal F. Hetta Amjad Ali Khalid Muhammad Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis Journal of Immunology Research |
| title | Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis |
| title_full | Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis |
| title_short | Multiepitope Subunit Vaccine Design against COVID-19 Based on the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Analysis |
| title_sort | multiepitope subunit vaccine design against covid 19 based on the spike protein of sars cov 2 an in silico analysis |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8893483 |
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