Immunoinformatics aided design and evaluation of chimeric proteins with B cell epitopes from E2, E5, E6 and E7 proteins of Human Papillomavirus – 16

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly HPV-16, is a significant global health concern due to its association with various cancers including cervical cancer. Despite existing prophylactic vaccines, there is a need for the development of therapeutic vaccines capable of providing complete protection against HPV infections in both exposed and non-exposed individuals. Bioinformatics offers a promising approach for vaccine design by utilizing computational tools to predict antigenic regions within antigen proteins. In this study, bioinformatics tools were employed to identify immunodominant epitopes from four HPV-16 proteins (E2, E5, E6 and E7), aiming to develop a multi-epitope vaccine against HPV infection to act as an alternative approach for the development therapeutic vaccine. Five chimeric proteins were designed by combining these epitopes with flexible and rigid linkers of varying lengths. The chimeras were then assessed for physicochemical properties, antigenicity and allergenicity. Among the designed chimeras, Chimera-5 was the most promising candidate, exhibiting superior stability, high antigenicity, excellent solubility and non-allergenic characteristics. These observations suggest that Chimera-5 holds promise in eliciting a robust and targeted immune response against HPV infections. The outcomes of this study represent a significant step towards the rational design of an alternative HPV vaccine, paving the way for further exploration and validation. By combining computational approaches with experimental validation, this research supports the development of a therapeutic vaccine capable of combating HPV infections.