Prediction and evaluation of multi epitope based sub-unit vaccine against Salmonella typhimurium

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 Feb;29(2):1092-1099. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.09.061. Epub 2021 Oct 1.

Abstract

Salmonella enteric serovar Typhimurium is the most common enteric pathogen in humans and animals. Consumption of contaminated food or water triggers inflammation that allows Salmonella to spread into the gut and causes gastrointestinal diseases. The infection spreads by intestinal invasion, phagocyte internalization and subsequent dissemination in many other patients. This research used TolA, a Salmonella typhimurium membrane protein, to computationally design a multi-epitope vaccine against the pathogen. Complete consistency of the candidate vaccine was checked In silico, and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the vaccine's stability. According to docking report, the vaccine has a good affinity with toll-like receptors. In silico cloning and codon optimization techniques improved the vaccine's efficacy in Salmonella typhimurium manifestation process. The candidate vaccine induced an efficient immune response, as determined by In silico immune simulation. Computational studies revealed that the engineered multi-epitope vaccine is structurally stable, capable of eliciting particular immunological reactions, and therefore a candidate for a latent Salmonella typhimurium vaccine. However, wet lab studies and further investigations are required to confirm the results.

Keywords: Bioinformatics; Epitope-based vaccine; Gastrointestinal disease; Immunity; Salmonella typhimurium.