AUTHOR=Amin Rani Nurul , Moin Abu Tayab , Patil Rajesh , Barketullah Robin Tanjin , Zubair Talha , Nawal Nafisa , Sami Md. Razwan Sardar , Morshed Md Masud , Zhai Jingbo , Xue Mengzhou , Hossain Mohabbat , Zheng Chunfu , Abul Manchur Mohammed , Islam Nazneen Naher TITLE=Designing a polyvalent vaccine targeting multiple strains of varicella zoster virus using integrated bioinformatics approaches JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=14 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1291868 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1291868 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=

The Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) presents a global health challenge due to its dual manifestations of chickenpox and shingles. Despite vaccination efforts, incomplete coverage, and waning immunity lead to recurrent infections, especially in aging and immunocompromised individuals. Existing vaccines prevent chickenpox but can trigger the reactivation of shingles. To address these limitations, we propose a polyvalent multiepitope subunit vaccine targeting key envelope glycoproteins of VZV. Through bioinformatics approaches, we selected six glycoproteins that are crucial for viral infection. Epitope mapping led to the identification of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), helper T lymphocyte (HTL), and B cell linear (LBL) epitopes. Incorporating strong immunostimulants, we designed two vaccine constructs, demonstrating high antigenicity, solubility, stability, and compatibility with Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Molecular docking and dynamics simulations underscored the stability and affinity of the vaccine constructs with TLRs. These findings lay the foundation for a comprehensive solution to VZV infections, addressing the challenges of incomplete immunity and shingles reactivation. By employing advanced immunoinformatics and dynamics strategies, we have developed a promising polyvalent multiepitope subunit vaccine candidate, poised to enhance protection against VZV and its associated diseases. Further validation through in vivo studies is crucial to confirm the effectiveness and potential of the vaccine to curb the spread of VZV. This innovative approach not only contributes to VZV control but also offers insights into tailored vaccine design strategies against complex viral pathogens.