COVID-19 Infection Detection and Prevention by SARS-CoV-2 Active Antigens: A Synthetic Vaccine Approach

Abstract

COVID-19, a global pandemic causing to date more than 50 million cases and more than a million deaths, has to be controlled. SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) was identified as the causative agent. Controversy about this virus origin and infectious mechanism for adapting to humans remains a matter for discussion. Among all strategies for obtaining safe and potent vaccines, approaches based on attenuated-killed virus and non-replicating RNA viral vectors are demonstrating promising results. However, specificity of viral components targeted by human antibodies so far has not been demonstrated. A consistent strategy for obtaining functional-active antigens from SARS-CoV-2 specific ligands lead us to propose and test a number of synthetic components. From hundreds of starting sequences only fifteen fulfilled the design requirements and were produced as monomer and polymer forms and immuno-chemically tested. The design was based on worldwide representative reported virus genomes. A bioinformatics scheme by conventional methods and knowledge on MHC-I and II antigen processing mechanisms and HLA haplotype-restriction was performed including sensitive and resistant human populations to virus infection. Covid-19 patients’ sera reactivity for synthetic SARS-CoV-2-designed components have proven a high recognition of specific molecules, as well as some evidence for a long-lasting humoral immune response.

Monkeypox: potential vaccine development strategies

“…Using the synthetic approach, we thus developed synthetic formulations of antigenic site-directed polymers on human-compatible adjuvant systems such as Alhydrogel, which stimulated neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and some genetic variants in in vitro experiments [ 16 ]. In this pursuit, clinical trials have yet to be conducted.…”

Designing multi-epitope based peptide vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 using immunoinformatics approach

“…In addition, an increase in immunity in the population through vaccine development may help combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection and halt the transmission. 5 , 6 The use of vaccines is predicted to involve the priming of SARS-CoV-2 for the body to produce long-term immunity such as the production of neutralizing antibodies and memory B and T cells, which are expected to neutralize and block the fusion and entry of the virus. 6 , 7 However, until now, there is no vaccine that can effectively eradicate this virus.…”

“… 5 , 6 The use of vaccines is predicted to involve the priming of SARS-CoV-2 for the body to produce long-term immunity such as the production of neutralizing antibodies and memory B and T cells, which are expected to neutralize and block the fusion and entry of the virus. 6 , 7 However, until now, there is no vaccine that can effectively eradicate this virus. Along with technological developments, methods in vaccine design and development are becoming more advanced.…”