SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “T-cell epitope”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2025

A pan-beta-coronavirus vaccine bearing conserved and asymptomatic B- and T-cell epitopes protects against highly pathogenic Delta and highly transmissible Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Over the last five years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the repetitive mutations and deletions in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, primarily targeting the Spike gene, resulted in the emergence of multiple viral variants and sub-variants. The non-updated mismatched Spike-based sub-unit vaccines are less effective due to the ability of these SARS-CoV-2 variants and sub-variants to evade vaccine-induced humoral immunity. To reduce reliance on neutralizing antibodies and prevent potential mismatches between circulating variants, sub-variants, and the vaccines, we have identified highly conserved Spike and non-Spike viral epitopes associated with protective asymptomatic B- and T-cell immune responses, respectively. We demonstrated that unvaccinated asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 recognized these conserved B- and T-cell epitopes. Using the mRNA-LNP-based antigen delivery system, we developed a multi-epitope vaccine that incorporates the conserved B-cell epitopes, CD4+ T-cell epitopes, and CD8+ T-cell epitopes. To assess the efficacy of this "asymptomatic" multi-epitope vaccine, we used the HLA-A*02:01/HLA-DRB1* 01:01-hACE-2 triple transgenic mouse model. We demonstrated that this "asymptomatic" multi-epitope vaccine conferred robust protection against infection and disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (XBB.1.5) variants as assessed by: (i) prevention of weight loss, (ii) reduction of virus replication, and (iii) lung pathology. This protection was associated with: (i) strong antibody responses; and (ii) high frequency of anti-viral IFN-γ-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. These findings illustrate the possibility of developing a pan-beta-coronavirus vaccine to induce broad-spectrum protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants and sub-variants by targeting highly conserved "asymptomatic" B- and T-cell epitopes identified from both structural and non-structural viral proteins.

Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte↗

PubMed2026

Proteome-wide curation of experimentally validated HPV T-cell epitopes identifies key gaps in our understanding of cellular immunity to HPV and informs vaccine design.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) drives both malignant and benign tumours. Current prophylactic vaccines are type-restricted, not optimised for T-cell induction, and lack therapeutic efficacy. Although T-cells are critical for both preventing and clearing HPV infection, experimentally validated HPV T-cell epitopes remain fragmented across the literature, limiting systematic evaluation of cellular immune targets. METHODS: We curated experimentally validated HPV T-cell epitopes from the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB). Epitopes were mapped across HPV proteins and genotypes, and analysed for response rate, sequence conservation across 454 representative HPV genomes, and HLA restriction patterns. RESULTS: 485 unique experimentally validated HPV epitopes have been described (133 studies; 1,494 functional assays). Consistent with research focus and viral biology, E6 and E7 proteins account for >60% of known HPV epitopes despite accounting for ~10% of the viral proteome. High-risk HPV types, especially HPV16 and HPV18, were the most studied (p <.001) and were enriched for CD8+ epitopes (p <.001). We identified major knowledge gaps, including: underrepresentation of structural proteins such as L2; limited epitope coverage for low-prevalence HPV genotypes; a bias towards common HLA alleles. In silico analysis indicated greater conservation of epitopes in L1/L2 and across high-risk HPV types. Conserved, commonly detected, and HLA-promiscuous epitopes were highlighted and we provide panels of candidate epitopes for consideration in immune monitoring, broad-spectrum prophylactic vaccines, and high-risk targeted therapeutic vaccines. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive atlas of experimentally validated HPV T-cell epitopes and ranked epitope candidates for translational application. We demonstrate that our understanding of HPV T-cell immunity is constrained by biases in antigen, genotype and HLA focus and by incomplete epitope mapping. Addressing these gaps will be essential for a comprehensive assessment of cellular immunity and for utilising T-cells in next-generation vaccines.

Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte↗

PubMed2026

Genetic polymorphism in Plasmodium falciparum MSPDBL1 and MSPDBL2 and their impact on B- and T-cell immunodominant epitopes in Brazilian malaria-endemic areas.

Merozoite Surface Protein Duffy Binding-like 1 and 2 (MSPDBL1 and MSPDBL2) are involved in erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum. Antibodies targeting PfMSPDBL1 and PfMSPDBL2 show strong opsonizing and growth-inhibitory activities, supporting their potential as asexual blood-stage vaccine candidates. Given that the extensive genetic diversity of P. falciparum contributes to immune evasion, identifying polymorphisms in regions encoding PfMSPDBL1 and PfMSPDBL2 is essential to assess their relevance as vaccine targets. In this study, we investigated polymorphisms in the pfmspdbl1 and pfmspdbl2 genes and their impact on potentially antigenic regions within the Duffy Binding-like (DBL) and Secreted Polymorphic Antigen Associated with Merozoite (SPAM) domains. Blood samples were collected from 47 P falciparum-infected individuals from three malaria-endemic areas of the Brazilian Amazon. Genomic DNA was extracted, PCR-amplified, and sequenced. Intrapopulation genetic diversity and Tajima's D values were estimated using bioinformatics tools. Linear B- and T-cell epitopes were predicted using BCPreds and IEDB (Immune Epitope Database), respectively. Two and thirty-two polymorphisms were identified in pfmspdbl1 within the SPAM and DBL domains, respectively, whereas pfmspdbl2 presented two polymorphisms across both domains and a 12 bp insertion in the SPAM domain. Tajima's D values were positive across domains, except for the DBL domain of pfmspdbl2 in Mâncio Lima. Fifteen B-cell and fifteen T-cell epitopes were predicted, with polymorphisms in three B-cell epitopes affecting Vaxijen scores. Together, these findings reveal contrasting evolutionary patterns between PfMSPDBL1 and PfMSPDBL2, with potential implications for antigenicity, and highlight PfMSPDBL2 as a potential candidate for further evaluation in multicomponent blood-stage malaria vaccine development.

Genetic diversity↗

PubMed2026

Chimeric vaccine based on Iraqi HLA alleles against a predominant local Escherichia coli phylogroup.

INTRODUCTION: Escherichia coli remains amongst the most globally important pathogens implicated in severe clinical manifestations. The progressive rise in multidrug-resistant strains highlights the urgent need for new vaccines. Therefore, this study was designed to develop a new multi-epitope vaccine containing the most conserved epitopes across E. coli pathotypes. Consequently, the study aimed to investigate the immunoadjuvant role of faecal microbiota transplantation in enhancing vaccine efficacy. METHODS: Eighteen of the most conserved B-cell and T-cell epitopes of FimH, LptD, and BamA proteins were selected and included in a single construct. During the epitope selection process, HLA alleles predominant in the Iraqi population, as reported in previous studies, were used as criteria for selecting T-cell epitopes. The chimeric protein was expressed in BL21 E. coli and purified using affinity chromatography. Vaccine cross-protective immunity and protection were tested in in vivo experiments. Different formulations were used in the experimental evaluation: three doses of 100 μg of purified chimeric protein, injected intraperitoneally alone or encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles, after faecal microbiota transplantation with and without gut microbiota modulation mediated by a cocktail of antibiotics. IgG1, IL-4, INF-γ, and NLRP3 levels were measured at 30 and 75 days after the first immunisation dose. Immunised mice were challenged with the local B2 UPEC phylogroup, and protection efficacy was considered 48 h later. Finally, the histological effects of the different chimeric protein formulations on the liver were assessed. RESULTS: All vaccine formulations except those after faecal microbiota transplantation without gut microbiota modulation induce significant increases in IgG1, IL-4, and INF-γ levels at different times. Only vaccination after faecal microbiota transplantation with gut microbiota modulation elicited robust NLRP3 levels at 30 and 75 days after, and this was linked to the highest reduction in bladder bacterial load by 813-fold compared to the other formulations, as well as the mildest effect on liver histological changes. DISCUSSION: These results demonstrated that the chimeric vaccine provides preliminary protection against a local B2 UPEC isolate. Furthermore, modulating gut microbiota via faecal transplantation markedly enhances the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of vaccination, suggesting its adjuvanticity.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Integrated immunoinformatics for the design of novel multi-epitope vaccine and identification of new drug targets against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a multidrug-resistant superbug.

BACKGROUND: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen causing severe hospital-acquired infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The absence of an effective vaccine and rising antibiotic resistance underscore the need for novel interventions. This study employed an integrated reverse vaccinology and computational analyses to identify new immunogenic targets, design a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV), and propose potential drug targets. METHODS: A comprehensive immunoinformatics pipeline was employed to assess antigenicity, allergenicity, human similarity, and physicochemical properties of S. maltophilia proteins. Both B- and T-cell epitopes were screened; however, only the top B-cell epitopes were selected for MEV construction, given the extracellular nature of S. maltophilia. MEV-TLR interactions were analyzed through molecular docking and dynamics simulations. In parallel, cytoplasmic proteins were screened via a subtractive genomics approach to identify essential, non-human homologous, and non-microbiome-similar proteins, which were further evaluated for druggability and interaction networks to propose novel therapeutic targets. RESULTS: From a total of 4111 proteins, seven potential immunogenic targets were identified: GspD (WP_108270537.1), FhuE (WP_049451370.1), fimbrial protein (WP_012479122.1), TonB-dependent receptor (WP_169448402.1), TolC family protein (WP_108270106.1), autotransporter beta-barrel OMP (WP_169448945.1), and a hypothetical protein (WP_005407892.1). Subsequently, an MEV was designed using five immunogenic epitopes derived from four of these targets: WP_005407892.1 (ADQDSSNM), WP_049451370.1 (SGKAEQ and GEESKTPS), WP_108270537.1 (GVTSTQSDSERT), and WP_169448945.1 (RELGGDRNE). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated strong, stable, and feasible interactions between the MEV and TLR-2 and TLR-4 receptors. Moreover, nine novel drug targets were predicted for S. maltophilia, providing new therapeutic insights. CONCLUSION: The designed MEV and identified immunogenic targets represent promising vaccine candidates against S. maltophilia. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are essential to confirm their safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy. Additionally, subtractive genomics analysis revealed nine novel, non-homologous drug targets, offering safer and more specific therapeutic avenues.

Drug targets↗

PubMed2015

Dengue virus infection elicits highly polarized CX3CR1+ cytotoxic CD4+ T cells associated with protective immunity.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a rapidly spreading pathogen with unusual pathogenesis, and correlates of protection from severe dengue disease and vaccine efficacy have not yet been established. Although DENV-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses have been extensively studied, the breadth and specificity of CD4(+) T-cell responses remains to be defined. Here we define HLA-restricted CD4(+) T-cell epitopes resulting from natural infection with dengue virus in a hyperepidemic setting. Ex vivo flow-cytometric analysis of DENV-specific CD4(+) T cells revealed that the virus-specific cells were highly polarized, with a strong bias toward a CX3CR1(+) Eomesodermin(+) perforin(+) granzyme B(+) CD45RA(+) CD4 CTL phenotype. Importantly, these cells correlated with a protective HLA DR allele, and we demonstrate that these cells have direct ex vivo DENV-specific cytolytic activity. We speculate that cytotoxic dengue-specific CD4(+) T cells may play a role in the control of dengue infection in vivo, and this immune correlate may be a key target for dengue virus vaccine development.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Immunopeptidomics-driven MHC class II peptide-binding motif discovery for 2 common canine DR alleles.

Despite the central role of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II in adaptive immunity, peptide-binding motifs have yet to be characterized for any canine MHC class II allele. Here, we report the first immunopeptidomics-derived binding motifs for DLA-DRB1*015:01 (DLA-DR15) and DLA-DRB1*012:01 (DLA-DR12), 2 alleles overrepresented in breeds predisposed to immune-mediated diseases. Because dogs co-express DLA-DR and DLA-DQ, the MHC class II Ab clone YKIX334.2 was validated to be DLA-DR-specific, enabling allele-selective immunoaffinity purification of DLA-DR molecules from homozygous DLA-DR15 and DLA-DR12 donor spleens. Mass spectrometry and GibbsCluster motif deconvolution of 838 DLA-DR15-associated and 644 DLA-DR12-associated peptides eluted from their respective peptide-binding grooves revealed distinct allele-specific binding motifs, with characterization of anchor residue preferences, peptide-length distributions, cross-species comparisons with human and murine MHC class II motifs, and source protein composition of the eluted self-peptidome. To evaluate the translational utility of these motifs, recombinant DLA-DR15 and DLA-DR12 molecules were used to screen rabies virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein peptide libraries via fluorescence-based peptide competition assays, identifying high-affinity candidate binders for both alleles. Spearman rank correlation between immunopeptidomics-derived position-specific scoring matrix scores and peptide competition assay rankings demonstrated modest associations, consistent with these approaches capturing complementary dimensions of peptide-MHC class II interaction. Ultimately, these findings establish what we believe is the first allele-specific peptide-binding motif framework for canine MHC class II, providing a foundation for DLA-allele-informed CD4+ T-cell epitope discovery studies and Ag-specific immune response characterization in the dog.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Engineered Bacteriophages in Cancer Immunotherapy: Emerging Concepts and Potential Integration with CAR-T Cell Therapy.

Due to antigen heterogeneity, restricted immune cell trafficking and an immunosuppressive, nutrient-restricted tumour microenvironment, solid tumours remain resistant to modern immunotherapies. Engineered bacteriophages offer a modular framework to overcome these obstacles: programmable virus-like particles with scalable production. Through genome engineering, capsid decoration with mammalian cell-targeting ligands, or hybrid AAV/phage systems, engineered bacteriophages can display tumour-associated antigens, enhance receptor-mediated uptake and deliver therapeutic payloads such as cytokines, chemokines and suicide genes without naturally infecting mammalian cells. These features support their use as vaccine platforms, immunological adjuvants and targeted gene-delivery vehicles. These may enable more precise, tumour-localized therapeutic intervention. Phages can engage innate immune pathways, including TLR9, TLR3/7/8, cGAS-STING and AIM2, promoting dendritic cell maturation and inflammatory mediators that may convert immunologically "cold" tumours into inflamed microenvironments. Their multivalent antigen display enhances B- and T-cell priming, while cDC1-mediated cross-presentation supports cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell responses and immunological memory. In CAR-T therapy, engineered phages may improve tumour homing through chemokine modulation, support persistence through local cytokine delivery, reduce antigen escape by presenting multiple tumour epitopes, and limit T-cell exhaustion through dominant-negative receptor strategies or local checkpoint blockade. This review summarizes engineering approaches, delivery systems, manufacturing, biodistribution, dosing, and safety issues, including immunogenicity, pre-existing anti-phage antibodies and horizontal gene transfer. It also distinguishes therapeutic engineered phage particles from phage display technologies used for molecular discovery. Despite encouraging results integrating modified bacteriophages with CAR-T cell therapy, the evidence remains mostly preclinical, indicating both substantial translational prospects and crucial obstacles for future clinical development.

CAR-T cell therapy↗

PubMed2026

Comparative Genomics-Guided Epitope Prioritization and in Silico Design of a Multi-Epitope DNA Vaccine Candidate Against Megalocytivirus pagrus 1.

Megalocytivirus pagrus 1 infection is a World Organisation for Animal Health-listed aquatic animal disease caused by a virus species comprising the RSIV, ISKNV, and TRBIV genogroups. Here, we integrated comparative genomics and immunoinformatics to prioritize a multi-epitope protein construct, pMEV, and to design a DNA vaccine candidate encoding it, with emphasis on RSIV-type infection relevant to rock bream aquaculture. Analysis of 61 complete genomes identified 28 core gene clusters, from which myristoylated membrane protein (MMP) and major capsid protein (MCP) were prioritized as source antigens for epitope screening. Four cytotoxic T-cell, five helper T-cell, and five linear B-cell epitope candidates were selected based on sequence-based screening and exploratory peptide-MHC docking. The selected epitopes were assembled with rock bream beta-defensin-3, PADRE, and peptide linkers to generate the 283-aa pMEV construct. Sequence-based physicochemical analyses indicated properties relevant to subsequent structural and expression-based evaluation, while computationally refined structural modeling identified nine putative conformational B-cell epitope regions. TLR3 docking, normal mode analysis, and a 200-ns molecular dynamics simulation characterized the structural behavior of the selected computational complex without inferring receptor activation. C-ImmSim further generated model-dependent generic humoral and helper T-cell-associated response patterns within a mammalian-based simulation framework. Finally, the pMEV coding sequence was codon-optimized and incorporated into an in silico pcDNA3.1(+)-based DNA vaccine design. Collectively, this study provides a comparative genomics-guided framework for prioritizing an experimentally testable multi-epitope DNA vaccine candidate against M. pagrus 1, while construct expression, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy remain to be evaluated experimentally.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Influence of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Diversity on Immune Modulation, Pathogenesis, and Control of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus.

INTRODUCTION: Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), a member of the genus Capripoxvirus within the family Poxviridae, is an economically important transboundary viral pathogen affecting cattle and water buffalo. The disease causes severe production losses through decreased milk yield, infertility, hide damage, reduced growth performance, and occasional mortality. The rapid geographic spread of LSDV, together with its vectorborne transmission and emerging recombinant strains, has intensified the need for improved understanding of viral pathogenesis, host immune responses, and effective prevention strategies. In particular, the role of the bovine Major Histocompatibility Complex (BoLA/MHC) in regulating antiviral immunity, disease susceptibility, and vaccine responsiveness has gained increasing scientific attention. METHODS: This review summarises the published literature related to the epidemiology, transmission, structure, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and control of LSDV, with special emphasis on the immunological and molecular role of bovine MHC molecules. Relevant studies concerning BoLA-mediated antigen presentation, immunoinformaticsbased epitope prediction, vaccine development, antiviral drug repurposing, molecular docking, genomic surveillance, and diagnostic approaches, including PCR- and ELISAbased assays, were critically evaluated. Recent advances in computational biology, molecular virology, and host-pathogen interaction studies were also reviewed. RESULTS: The reviewed studies demonstrate that Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) possesses a complex double-stranded DNA genome enabling immune modulation and efficient transmission through arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies. Disease progression involves systemic viral replication, vascular injury, dermal necrosis, and inflammatory skin lesions. Real-time PCR remains the most sensitive diagnostic method for early detection, while ELISA supports surveillance. Evidence highlights the central role of bovine Major Histocompatibility Complex (BoLA) molecules in antigen presentation and T-cell activation. Computational studies identified promising BoLA-binding epitopes and repurposed antiviral candidates, including ivermectin, theaflavin, canagliflozin, and tepotinib, for future therapeutic development. DISCUSSION: Current evidence indicates that effective LSDV control requires integration of molecular diagnostics, vector management, vaccination, and host immunogenetics. BoLAguided immunoinformatics provides promising opportunities for developing multi-epitope vaccines, although experimental validation remains essential. Similarly, repurposed antiviral candidates require comprehensive in vivo and pharmacological evaluation before clinical application. Future research should focus on elucidating viral immune-evasion mechanisms, validating predicted epitopes, and translating computational findings into practical vaccines and therapeutics for sustainable disease control. CONCLUSION: Lumpy Skin Disease continues to pose a major threat to global cattle health and livestock economies. Advances in molecular diagnostics, genomic surveillance, antiviral drug discovery, and BoLA-guided vaccine design provide promising opportunities for improved disease control. Understanding the interaction between LSDV and the bovine MHC system is essential for developing next-generation vaccines, immunotherapeutics, and precision disease-management strategies. Future research should prioritise experimental validation of predicted epitopes, large-scale vaccine trials, and mechanistic studies on host-virus immune interactions to establish effective and sustainable global control programs for LSDV.

BoLA↗

PubMed2026

EPIC: multi-objective guided diffusion for epitope design in TCR-pMHC complexes.

MOTIVATION: T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) complexes is central to adaptive immunity, yet rational design of immunogenic epitopes remains elusive due to complex triplet binding constraints and data scarcity. No existing method can generate epitopes satisfying simultaneous requirements for antigenicity, MHC presentation, and TCR specificity. RESULTS: We present EPIC, a multi-objective diffusion framework that decomposes TCR-pMHC binding into three biologically grounded sub-tasks, enabling training-free gradient guidance without end-to-end retraining. By integrating ESM-based classifiers with a peptide diffusion generator, EPIC leverages heterogeneous immunological interaction datasets to generate diverse, context-aware epitopes. EPIC-designed top-three epitopes achieve lower predicted interface energies compared to ground-truth epitopes in 78.31% of test cases, while maintaining 80.1% sequence novelty and comparable structural confidence. Generated epitopes exhibit 100% uniqueness, high diversity (64.05%), and high antigenicity scores (0.4723). To our knowledge, EPIC is the first computational framework capable of de novo epitope design while explicitly integrating the triplet constraints of TCR-pMHC binding. This paradigm shift from discovery to design unlocks new potential for personalized cancer vaccines, precision adoptive T cell therapy, and rapid response to emerging infectious diseases. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The source code of EPIC is available at https://github.com/Octopus125/EPIC and archived on Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18537646).

Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell↗

PubMed2026

An immunoinformatics-based multi-epitope vaccine candidate confers cross-protection against two Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovars.

Porcine contagious pleuropneumonia (PCP) is caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) and inflicts heavy economic losses on the swine industry. However, existing inactivated vaccines provide limited cross-protection, highlighting the need for improved vaccine strategies. In this study, we combined pangenome analysis with subtractive proteomics to screen the APP core genome and identified 11 potential antigens. Seven of them showed immunoreactivity by ELISA and Western blotting. These antigens, together with the ApxI-III toxins, were used for T and B cell epitope prediction. On this basis, a multi-epitope fusion protein MVAPP was constructed. In silico molecular docking with swine immune receptors and immune simulations suggested that MVAPP has the potential to induce immune responses. In the mouse model, that MVAPP elicited specific antibody responses, shifted the splenic T-cell subset distribution toward CD4+ T cells, and provided partial protection against challenge with strains from two serovars. In conclusion, MVAPP represents a potential multi-epitope vaccine candidate for further development against APP.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Therapeutic melanoma vaccines: Platforms, neoantigen strategies, and emerging combination immunotherapies.

Melanoma has emerged as a major focus of cancer immunotherapy research because of its highly immunogenic nature and responsiveness to immune-based treatments. Therapeutic melanoma vaccines are designed to stimulate tumor-specific immune responses through the delivery of Tumor-Associated Antigens (TAAs), Tumor-Specific Antigens (TSAs), and personalized neoantigens. This narrative review provides an overview of current melanoma vaccine strategies, including peptide-based vaccines, dendritic cell vaccines, nucleic acid-based platforms such as mRNA, DNA, and viral vector vaccines. Recent advances in vaccine engineering and tumor genomics have accelerated the development of personalized neoantigen vaccines capable of targeting mutations unique to individual tumors. In parallel, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are increasingly being incorporated into neoantigen identification pipelines to improve epitope prediction and optimize vaccine design. Combination strategies involving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs), particularly anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapies, have further enhanced interest in melanoma vaccines by helping overcome tumor-induced immune suppression and augment T-cell activation. In addition to reviewing vaccine mechanisms and emerging technologies, this manuscript examines the evolving clinical trial landscape through analysis of melanoma vaccine studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Although many studies have reported encouraging safety and immunogenicity findings, challenges related to tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, biomarker selection, and manufacturing complexity continue to limit widespread clinical implementation. Ongoing advances in computational immunology, biomaterial engineering, and precision oncology are expected to further refine melanoma vaccine development and improve therapeutic efficacy. Collectively, these innovations may help establish melanoma vaccines as an increasingly important component of future personalized cancer immunotherapy strategies.

DNA vaccines↗

PubMed2026

Immunoinformatics Approach for Optimization of Targeted Vaccine Design: New Paradigm in Clinical Trials and Healthcare Management.

INTRODUCTION: The immunoinformatics approach combines bioinformatics and computational tools, offering a revolutionary method for improving vaccine development by analyzing immune responses at the molecular level. Immunoinformatics enables the creation of customized vaccines designed for specific infections or cancer cells. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of immunoinformatics is to enhance the vaccine development process by predicting and boosting the body's immune response. It aims to identify potential immunogenic epitopes and biomarkers that are important for creating vaccines with greater specificity and efficacy, especially when dealing with large-scale data. METHODS: Immunoinformatics utilizes a combination of proteomic, genomic, and epigenomic data, as well as machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence techniques. These tools predict how various immunological components, e.g., T-cell and B-cell epitopes, interact with the immune system. This approach allows researchers to avoid traditional trial-and-error methods, enabling the efficient identification of potential vaccine candidates. Additionally, personalized vaccines can be developed by considering individual genetic and immunological characteristics. RESULTS: The use of immunoinformatics techniques accelerates the screening of vaccine candidates, enhances patient stratification, and optimizes formulations for clinical trials. This approach has been shown to improve vaccine safety, efficacy, and development speed. It also holds promise for managing healthcare on a large scale by producing vaccines tailored to specific populations, thereby improving the overall effectiveness of vaccination programs. CONCLUSION: Immunoinformatics represents a transformative approach to vaccine research, improving clinical trial efficiency and enabling the development of more reliable, flexible, and personalized vaccines. This approach has the potential to significantly enhance global healthcare outcomes by accelerating the vaccine development process and optimizing vaccination strategies.

Immunoinformatics↗

PubMed2026

A Multiepitope Intranasal Adenoviral Vaccine Induces Robust Mucosal Immunity and Protection against SARS‑CoV‑2.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination has been central to mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the continual emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has reduced the effectiveness of current intramuscular vaccines that primarily target the Spike (S) protein. Although updated formulations are periodically introduced, there remains a critical need for next-generation vaccine platforms capable of inducing broad, variant-independent protection. Here we evaluate a heterologous intranasal (i.n.) prime-boost vaccination strategy using bovine adenoviral (BAd) and chimpanzee adenoviral (ChAd) vectors expressing the S1 subunit in combination with either full-length membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins (Ad-S1 + N + M) or multiepitope constructs derived from M and N (Ad-S1 + Epi/N + Epi/M). The constructs were incorporated with the autophagy-inducing peptide C5 (AIP-C5) to enhance antigen-specific T-cell responses. RESULTS: In BALB/c mice, Ad-S1 + Epi/N + Epi/M vaccination induced robust S1-specific immunity while simultaneously inducing strong N- and M-specific humoral and cellular responses that were comparable to or greater than those induced by Ad-S1 + N + M. All S1-containing formulations generated high neutralizing antibody titers (~ 3.8 log₁₀) against Omicron B.1.1.529 and BA.2.86 variants, although titers against the ancestral Wuhan strain were approximately one log₁₀ lower. In K18-hACE2 mice, i.n. immunization with S1-expressing vectors provided near-complete protection against BA.2.86 challenge, with undetectable lung viral titers and viral genome copies. CONCLUSION: An i.n. multiepitope adenoviral vaccine incorporating conserved SARS-CoV-2 antigens induces robust mucosal, humoral, and cellular immune responses and confers significant protection following SARS-CoV-2 challenge.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Immunodominant Tuberculosis Antigens Recognized by Human CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide for which an improved vaccine and immunodiagnostics are urgently needed. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play an important role in host defense to TB. Definition of the immunodominant antigens recognized by these T cells is critical for improved understanding of the immunobiology of TB and for development of vaccines and diagnostics. Herein, we review antigens and epitopes recognized by classically human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I- and class II-restricted CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in humans infected with MTB, as defined using either targeted or genome-wide approaches. We address the extent to which these antigens have been defined as immunodominant, protective, and/or specific to disease stages in humans and, with particular relevance to CD8+ T-cell recognition, whether these antigens are displayed by MTB-infected cells.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2025

Differential Alloreactivity: Lessons Learned From a Singular HLA Locus.

Alloreactivity entails the recognition of cells and tissues from one individual as foreign by T cells and other immune effectors from another individual. Alloreactive immune responses play an important role in various clinical contexts, in particular in transplantation. Major drivers of these responses are the highly immunogenic, non-self HLA molecules. However, the immunogenicity of these allogeneic HLA molecules has been observed to vary according to certain immunobiological and immunogenetic parameters, leading to the concept of differential alloreactivity. Recent progress in unveiling the underpinnings of this phenomenon has been made for the frequently mismatched HLA-DP allotypes, whose singular genomic, structural and population genetics characteristics offer an ideal scenario for these investigations. Studies in the HLA-DP context have highlighted the immunopeptidome overlap between self and non-self HLA allotypes, as well as its editing by non-classical class II chaperones HLA-DM and HLA-DO, as a main determinant of their immunogenicity likely via indirect effects of thymic education. Recent evidence suggests that these observations could also be extended to alloresponses directed against HLA molecules encoded by other loci. How these functional characteristics of HLA molecules shape allorecognition by T-cell subsets, and how they translate into different clinical consequences in the context of transplantation will be the subject of the present review.

Humans↗

PubMed2016

Immunodominant Dengue Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses Are Associated with a Memory PD-1+ Phenotype.

UNLABELLED: Dengue disease is a large public health problem that mainly afflicts tropical and subtropical regions. Understanding of the correlates of protection against dengue virus (DENV) is poor and hinders the development of a successful human vaccine. The present study aims to define DENV-specific CD8(+)T cell responses in general and those of HLA alleles associated with dominant responses in particular. In human blood donors in Nicaragua, we observed a striking dominance of HLA B-restricted responses in general and of the allele B*35:01 in particular. Comparing these patterns to those in the general population of Sri Lanka, we found a strong correlation between restriction of the HLA allele and the breadth and magnitude of CD8(+)T cell responses, suggesting that HLA genes profoundly influence the nature of responses. The majority of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) responses were associated with effector memory phenotypes, which were also detected in non-B*35:01-expressing T cells. However, only the B*35:01 DENV-specific T cells were associated with marked expression of the programmed death 1 protein (PD-1). These cells did not coexpress other inhibitory receptors and were able to proliferate in response to DENV-specific stimulation. Thus, the expression of particular HLA class I alleles is a defining characteristic influencing the magnitude and breadth of CD8 responses, and a distinct, highly differentiated phenotype is specifically associated with dominant CD8(+)T cells. These results are of relevance for both vaccine design and the identification of robust correlates of protection in natural immunity. IMPORTANCE: Dengue is an increasingly significant public health problem as its mosquito vectors spread over greater areas; no vaccines against the virus have yet been approved. An important step toward vaccine development is defining protective immune responses; toward that end, we here characterize the phenotype of the immunodominant T cell responses. These DENV-reactive T cells express high levels of the receptor programmed death 1 protein (PD-1), while those from disease-susceptible alleles do not. Not only does this represent a possible correlate of immunodominance, but it raises the hypothesis that PD-1 might be a regulator that prevents excessive damage while preserving antiviral function. Further, as this study employs distinct populations (Nicaraguan and Sri Lankan donors), we also confirmed that this pattern holds despite geographic and ethnic differences. This finding indicates that HLA type is the major determinant in shaping T cell responses.

Alleles↗