Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40134009›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2025

Screening helper T lymphocyte epitopes based on IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio for developing a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate using Wolbachia surface protein as an adjuvant against visceral leishmaniasis.

Jianhui Zhang, Tianhang Lv, Shuoyan Tan, Lingqi Yu, Yangjian Chi, Jianping Chen, Xiaohui Fan, Xiaoyan Lu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2025. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

8 authors.

Jianhui Zhang *Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Tianhang Lv *Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Shuoyan Tan *Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Lingqi YuPharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Yangjian ChiDepartment of Urinary Surgery, Jianou Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province, Jiaou, 353199, China.
Jianping ChenDepartment of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Xiaohui FanPharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Xiaoyan LuPharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. luxy@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 226-2024-00001National Natural Science Foundation of China 82404961
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most lethal form of leishmaniasis. In terms of anti-leishmanial vaccines, favorable immune responses are Th1 responses that primarily produce interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and activate macrophages for leishmanicidal effects. The selection of IFN-γ-inducing epitopes in silico may reduce the steps of pre-clinical evaluation and increase the certainty of the better-designed vaccine. Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) derived from Wolbachia bacteria that have been reported to reside in sandflies can trigger TLR2 and TLR4 activation to favor Th1 immune responses, which may serve as a potential adjuvant candidate for the Leishmania vaccine. Therefore, in this study, helper T lymphocyte epitopes that may induce favorable immune responses were identified, and WSP was served as an adjuvant to design a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate.

methodsLeishmania hemoglobin receptor (HbR), kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11), glycoprotein of 63 kDa (Gp63), thiol-specific antioxidant antigen (TSA), and sterol 24-c-methyltransferase (SMT) were analyzed by immunoinformatics to screen helper T lymphocyte and cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes. The antigenicity, toxicity, allergenicity, and IFN-γ-inducing epitope potential of T epitopes were predicted. The immune simulation was performed to calculate IFN-γ/interleukin (IL)-10 ratios to predict the immune responses induced by the helper T lymphocyte epitopes. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to analyze the interactions and stability of the docked complexes. The immune simulation of a multi-epitope vaccine candidate was carried out to predict its immunogenicity.

resultsSome helper T lymphocyte epitopes that were predicted with the potential of inducing Th1 responses and cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes were selected to develop a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate with WSP as an adjuvant. It was found in molecular docking and interaction analysis that TLR2 and TLR4 can recognize WSP, supporting the potential of adjuvant for the Leishmania vaccine. The results from immune simulation demonstrated that the multi-epitope vaccine candidate induced obvious cytokine (IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-2) secretion and Th1 as well as memory T cell production, similar to that of Leish-111f.

conclusionsOur vaccine candidate may interact with TLR2 and TLR4 and exhibit good immunogenicity, favoring Leishmania clearance. Our strategy provides a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate and references for other vaccine developments.

Indexed as

Bacterial ProteinsEpitopes, T-LymphocyteInterferon-gammaInterleukin-10Leishmaniasis VaccinesLeishmaniasis, VisceralT-Lymphocytes, Helper-InducerWolbachiaAdjuvants, ImmunologicAnimalsHumansMolecular Docking SimulationAdjuvants, ImmunologicBacterial ProteinsEpitopes, T-LymphocyteInterferon-gammaInterleukin-10Leishmaniasis VaccinesAdjuvantImmunoinformaticsLeishmaniaMulti-epitope vaccineWolbachia surface protein

Identifiers

PMID40134009
PMCPMC11938772

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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.