Epitope-based universal vaccine for Human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1)

• Published in: PloS one 2021-04, Vol.16 (4), p.e0248001
• Main Authors: Raza, Md Thosif, Mizan, Shagufta, Yasmin, Farhana, Akash, Al-Shahriar, Shahik, Shah Md
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activator protein 1; Animal models; Antigenic determinants; Antigens; Antisense RNA; Apoptosis; Asymptomatic; Biology and life sciences; Biotechnology; Breast feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; c-Jun protein; CD4 antigen; Cell cycle; Cell proliferation; Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease transmission; DNA; Epitopes; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte - immunology; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Gene Products, tax - immunology; Genetic aspects; Genetic engineering; Genomes; Glycoproteins; Heparan sulfate; HTLV-I (Virus); HTLV-I infections; HTLV-I Infections - immunology; HTLV-I Infections - prevention & control; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - immunology; Humans; Identification and classification; JunB protein; Leucine; Leucine zipper proteins; Leukemia; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Medicine and Health Sciences; Membrane fusion; Membrane proteins; Membranes; Molecular Docking Simulation; Nucleic acids; Pathogenesis; Prevention; Proteins; Sexual behavior; Sexual intercourse; Software; Toll-Like Receptor 4 - immunology; Transcription factors; Transfusion; Vaccines; Viral infections; Viral proteins; Viral vaccines; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Viral Vaccines - pharmacology; Virus research; Viruses
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248001

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was the first oncogenic human retrovirus identified in humans which infects at least 10-15 million people worldwide. Large HTLV-1 endemic areas exist in Southern Japan, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Middle East, Melanesia, and equatorial regions of Africa. HTLV-1 TAX viral protein is thought to play a critical role in HTLV-1 associated diseases. We have used numerous bio-informatics and immuno-informatics implements comprising sequence and construction tools for the construction of a 3D model and epitope prediction for HTLV-1 Tax viral protein. The conformational linear B-cell and T-cell epitopes for HTLV-1 TAX viral protein have been predicted for their possible collective use as vaccine candidates. Based on in silico investigation two B cell epitopes, KEADDNDHEPQISPGGLEPPSEKHFR and DGTPMISGPCPKDGQPS spanning from 324-349 and 252-268 respectively; and T cell epitopes, LLFGYPVYV, ITWPLLPHV and GLLPFHSTL ranging from 11-19, 163-171 and 233-241 were found most antigenic and immunogenic epitopes. Among different vaccine constructs generated by different combinations of these epitopes our predicted vaccine construct was found to be most antigenic with a score of 0.57. T cell epitopes interacted strongly with HLA-A*0201 suggesting a significant immune response evoked by these epitopes. Molecular docking study also showed a high binding affinity of the vaccine construct for TLR4. The study was carried out to predict antigenic determinants of the Tax protein along with the 3D protein modeling. The study revealed a potential multi epitope vaccine that can raise the desired immune response against HTLV-1 and be useful in developing effective vaccines against Human T-lymphotropic virus.