AUTHOR=Lu Qiong , Wu Hao , Meng Jing , Wang Jiangyuan , Wu Jiajing , Liu Shuo , Tong Jincheng , Nie Jianhui , Huang Weijin 

TITLE=Multi-epitope vaccine design for hepatitis E virus based on protein ORF2 and ORF3

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1372069

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1372069

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Hepatitis E virus (HEV), with heightened virulence in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women, is a pervasive threat in developing countries. A globaly available vaccine against HEV is currently lacking.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We designed a multi-epitope vaccine based on protein ORF2 and ORF3 of HEV using immunoinformatics.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The vaccine comprised 23 nontoxic, nonallergenic, soluble peptides. The stability of the docked peptide vaccine-TLR3 complex was validated by molecular dynamic simulations. The induction of effective cellular and humoral immune responses by the multi-peptide vaccine was verified by simulated immunization.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>These findings provide a foundation for future HEV vaccine studies.</p></sec>