Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36460093›Full record

ArticleActa tropica2023

Peptide microarray analysis of in-silico predicted B-cell epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 sero-positive healthcare workers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Arthur Vengesai, Thajasvarie Naicker, Herald Midzi, Maritha Kasambala, Victor Muleya, Isaac Chipako, Emilia Choto, Praise Moyo, Takafira Mduluza

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta tropica, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 40% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Arthur VengesaiDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Midlands State University, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Electronic address: arthurvengesai@gmail.com.
Thajasvarie NaickerDiscipline of Optics and Imaging, Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal, College of Health Sciences Durban, ZA, South Africa.
Herald MidziDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Maritha KasambalaDepartment of Biological Sciences and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Victor MuleyaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Midlands State University, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe.
Isaac ChipakoAravas Pharmaceuticals Pvt LTD, Prospect Industrial Area, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Emilia ChotoImmunology Department, Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.
Praise MoyoDepartment of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Midlands State University, Senga Road, Gweru, Zimbabwe.
Takafira MduluzaDepartment of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Midlands State University · ZWUniversity of Zimbabwe · ZWGreat Zimbabwe University · ZWUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immunogenic peptides that mimic linear B-cell epitopes coupled with immunoassay validation may improve serological tests for emerging diseases. This study reports a general approach for profiling linear B-cell epitopes derived from SARS-CoV-2 using an in-silico method and peptide microarray immunoassay, using healthcare workers' SARS-CoV-2 sero-positive sera. SARS-CoV-2 was tested using rapid chromatographic immunoassays and real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunogenic peptides mimicking linear B-cell epitopes were predicted in-silico using ABCpred. Peptides with the lowest sequence identity with human protein and proteins from other human pathogens were selected using the NCBI Protein BLAST. IgG and IgM antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, membrane glycoprotein and nucleocapsid derived peptides were measured in sera using peptide microarray immunoassay. Fifty-three healthcare workers included in the study were RT-PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2. Using rapid chromatographic immunoassays, 10 were SARS-CoV-2 IgM sero-positive and 7 were SARS-CoV-2 IgG sero-positive. From a total of 10 SARS-CoV-2 peptides contained on the microarray, 3 (QTH34388.1-1-14, QTN64908.1-135-148, and QLL35955.1-22-35) showed reactivity against IgG. Three peptides (QSM17284.1-76-89, QTN64908.1-135-148 and QPK73947.1-8-21) also showed reactivity against IgM. Based on the results we predicted one peptide (QSM17284.1-76-89) that had an acceptable diagnostic performance. Peptide QSM17284.1-76-89 was able to detect IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with area under the curve (AUC) 0.781 when compared to commercial antibody tests. In conclusion in silico peptide prediction and peptide microarray technology may provide a platform for the development of serological tests for emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. However, we recommend using at least three in-silico peptide prediction tools to improve the sensitivity and specificity of B-cell epitope prediction, to predict peptides with excellent diagnostic performances.

Indexed as

COVID-19Antibodies, ViralEpitopes, B-LymphocyteHealth PersonnelHumansImmunoassayImmunoglobulin GImmunoglobulin MMicroarray AnalysisPeptidesSARS-CoV-2Sensitivity and SpecificitySpike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusZimbabweAntibodies, ViralEpitopes, B-LymphocyteImmunoglobulin GImmunoglobulin MPeptidesSpike Glycoprotein, Coronavirusspike protein, SARS-CoV-2B-cell epitopesEpitope predictionPeptide microarraysSARS-CoV-2Serological tests

Identifiers

PMID36460093
PMCPMC9705268
OpenAlexW4310192066

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.