Immunoinformatic-driven design and evaluation of multi-epitope mRNA vaccine targeting HIV-1 gp120

作者：Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed, T. Srinivasa Rao, Zeeshan Mutahir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Najeeb Ullah, Suvash Chandra Ojha · 发表于：Frontiers in Immunology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fimmu.2025.1480025 · 被引用次数：12 · 研究领域：vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches、Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research、Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) presents a global health crisis, causing significant AIDS-related deaths and over one million new infections annually. The curbing of HIV is an intricate and continuously evolving domain, marked by numerous challenges, including drug resistance and the absence of a significant cure or vaccine because of its mutating ability and diverse antigens in its envelope, prompting research for functional cures and long-term remission strategies. The endeavor to devise an HIV vaccine capable of eliciting robust and broadly cross-reactive humoral and cellular immune responses is a formidable undertaking, primarily due to the pronounced genetic heterogeneity of HIV-1, the variances observed in virus subtypes (clades) across distinct geographic regions, and the polymorphic nature of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). The viral envelope protein (gp120) selectively interacts with CD4 and chemokine receptors on the surface of target cells. It serves as the key initiator in the intricate viral entry into host cells, rendering it a compelling candidate for vaccine development. This study used bioinformatic tools to design a safe, hypoallergenic, and non-toxic mRNA HIV-1 vaccine by assembling immunogenic B- and T-cell epitopes from the gp120 protein. We identified antigenic, non-toxic, and non-allergic B-cell epitopes (IEPLGIAPTRAKRRVVER) and T-cell epitopes (QQKVHALFY, ITIGPGQVF, WQGVGQAMY, APTRAKRRV, KQQKVHALFYRLDIV, QQKVHALFYRLDIVQ, QKVHALFYRLDIVQI, SLAEEEIIIRS...