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Journal Article Epublish 1 citation

PubMed: 39412657 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13331-y

Design of the conserved epitope peptide of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as the broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccine.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 108(1):486

Authors: Ting-Yu Chang, Chia-Jung Li, Tai-Ling Chao, Sui-Yuan Chang, Shih-Chung Chang

Affiliations

  • Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
  • Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
  • Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
  • Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
  • Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
  • Center of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.

Abstract

Our previous study has found that monoclonal antibodies targeting a conserved epitope peptide spanning from residues 1144 to 1156 of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, namely S(1144-1156), can broadly neutralize all of the prevalent SARS-CoV-2 strains, including the wild type, Alpha, Epsilon, Delta, and Gamma variants. In the study, S(1144-1156) was conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and formulated with Montanide ISA 51 adjuvant for inoculation in BALB/c mice to study its potential as a vaccine candidate. Results showed that the titers of S protein-specific IgGs and the neutralizing antibodies in mouse sera against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the Omicron sublineages, were largely induced along with three doses of immunization. The significant release of IFN-γ and IL-2 was also observed by ELISpot assays through stimulating vaccinated mouse splenocytes with the S(1144-1156) peptide. Furthermore, the vaccination of the S(1143-1157)- and S(1142-1158)-EGFP fusion proteins can elicit more SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in mouse sera than the S(1144-1156)-EGFP fusion protein. Interestingly, the antisera collected from mice inoculated with the S(1144-1156) peptide vaccine exhibited better efficacy for neutralizing Omicron BA.2.86 and JN.1 subvariants than Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and XBB subvariants. Since the amino acid sequences of the S(1144-1156) are highly conserved among various SARS-CoV-2 variants, the immunogen containing the S(1144-1156) core epitope can be designed as a broadly effective COVID-19 vaccine. KEY POINTS: • Inoculation of mice with the S(1144-1156) peptide vaccine can induce bnAbs against various SARS-CoV-2 variants. • The S(1144-1156) peptide stimulated significant release of IFN-γ and IL-2 in vaccinated mouse splenocytes. • The S(1143-1157) and S(1142-1158) peptide vaccines can elicit more SARS-CoV-2 nAbs in mice.

MeSH

Sars-Cov-2, Epitopes, Vaccines, Covid-19 Vaccines, Antibodies, Microbiology, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Covid-19, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus, Biomedical Technology, Protein Subunit Vaccines