High throughput discovery and characterization of tick and pathogen vaccine protective antigens using vaccinomics with intelligent Big Data analytic techniques

Abstract

The incidence of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) is growing worldwide, and vaccines appear as the most effective and environmentally sound intervention for the prevention and control of TBDs. Areas covered: The vaccinomics approach combines omics technologies and bioinformatics for the characterization of tick-host-pathogen molecular interactions and the development of next-generation vaccines. The two main challenges of the vaccinomics approach are the integration and analysis of omics datasets, and the development of screening platforms for the identification of candidate protective antigens. To address these challenges we propose the application of intelligent Big Data analytic techniques for the high throughput discovery and characterization of tick and pathogen derived candidate vaccine protective antigens. Expert commentary: This innovative approach should improve the development and efficacy of vaccines for the control and prevention of TBDs.

A Novel Combined Scientific and Artistic Approach for the Advanced Characterization of Interactomes: The Akirin/Subolesin Model

“…The methodological approach proposed here for quantum vaccinomics further advances the potential of the vaccinomics pipeline used before for the identification of candidate protective antigens [29,68,69]. Furthermore, if combined with network analysis for the integration of interactomics and regulomics datasets [70] and big data machine learning algorithms to identify candidate protective antigens and epitopes [71], quantum vaccinomics would result in designing chimeric antigens based on protective epitopes in SID from vector-and pathogen-derived regulatory proteins. Vaccines with these chimeric protective antigens would address the possibility of effective and sustainable control of vector-borne diseases by targeting multiple ectoparasite and pathogen species in multiple hosts.…”

Tick–Pathogen Interactions: The Metabolic Perspective

“…A better understanding of the interactions of pathogens with the host cell lipid metabolism and other metabolic pathways could provide new therapeutic targets to control infections by tick-borne pathogens. Furthermore, as recently proposed, the application of machine learning and big data analysis to the tick-host-pathogen interaction datasets may also lead to the high-throughput identification of candidate vaccine protective antigens [66].…”

Towards an Effective, Rational and Sustainable Approach for the Control of Cattle Ticks in the Neotropics

“…Despite recent advances in the identification and characterization of tick protective antigens [52][53][54], the major challenges faced to further advance the implementation of effective vaccination strategies for the control of cattle tick infestations and tick-borne diseases include: (a) rational and effective combination of anti-tick vaccines with acaricides and other traditional control measures; (b) development and implementation of cost-effective and safe vaccines reducing infestations by multiple tick species in different hosts; (c) vaccine formulations to reduce tick infestations and pathogen infection and/or transmission; and (d) funding and fulfilling regulatory requirements for vaccine registration. To address these challenges we propose (a) to use information on tick life cycle and the effect of biotic and abiotic factors for the effective combination of multiple control measures including vaccines for the control of tick infestations and pathogen infection and transmission [55]; (b) modeling the vaccination strategies against ticks and transmitted pathogens to guide the selection of appropriate antigen combinations, target hosts and vaccination time schedule [53]; (c) to use latest omics technologies in a vaccinomics approach combined with systems biology and big data machine learning algorithms to identify new protective antigens and advance quantum immunology [56,57]; (d) to combine tick-derived and pathogen derived antigens in effective vaccine delivery formulations to target multiple tick species in domestic and both domestic and wild hosts [55][56][57][58]; (e) to develop country and host/tick species driven strategies to increase the efficacy of vaccination and other control strategies for cattle ticks and transmitted pathogens [59]. Finally, it is important to advance research on areas such as sequencing and assembly of tick genomes, vector competence, functionality of tick microbiota, functional analysis of tick-host-pathogen interactions, and pathogen control of tick/host epigenetics to develop vaccines and methods to manipulate tick genetics and microbiota for new effective interventions to control tick infestations and transmitted pathogens affecting both human and animal health [60,61].…”