A Quantum Vaccinomics Approach for the Design and Production of MSP4 Chimeric Antigen for the Control of <i>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</i> Infections
José de la Fuente,
Alberto Moraga-Fernández,
Pilar Alberdi,
Sandra Díaz-Sánchez,
Olga García-Álvarez,
Rubén Fernández-Melgar,
Marinela Contreras
Affiliations
José de la Fuente
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Alberto Moraga-Fernández
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Pilar Alberdi
Ciudad Real Medical School, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla La Mancha, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Sandra Díaz-Sánchez
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Olga García-Álvarez
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Rubén Fernández-Melgar
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Marinela Contreras
SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Major surface protein 4 (MSP4) plays a role during infection and multiplication in host neutrophils and tick vector cells. Recently, vaccination trials with the A. phagocytophilum antigen MSP4 in sheep showed only partial protection against pathogen infection. However, in rabbits immunized with MSP4, this recombinant antigen was protective. Differences between rabbit and sheep antibody responses are probably associated with the recognition of non-protective epitopes by IgG of immunized lambs. To address this question, we applied quantum vaccinomics to identify and characterize MSP4 protective epitopes by a microarray epitope mapping using sera from vaccinated rabbits and sheep. The identified candidate protective epitopes or immunological quantum were used for the design and production of a chimeric protective antigen. Inhibition assays of A. phagocytophilum infection in human HL60 and Ixodes scapularis tick ISE6 cells evidenced protection by IgG from sheep and rabbits immunized with the chimeric antigen. These results supported that the design of new chimeric candidate protective antigens using quantum vaccinomics to improve the protective capacity of antigens in multiple hosts.
