Host immune responses against African swine fever virus: Insights and challenges for vaccine development

Abstract

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) poses a serious threat to global swine populations, underscoring the urgent need for effective preventive strategies. This comprehensive review investigates the intricate interplay between innate, cellular, and humoral immunity against ASFV, with a focus on their relevance to vaccine development. By delving into immunopathogenesis and immunological challenges, this review article aims to provide a holistic perspective on the complexities of ASFV infections and immune evasion. Key findings underscore the critical role of innate immune recognition in shaping subsequent adaptive immune defenses, potential protective antigens, and the multifaceted nature of ASFV-specific antibodies and cytotoxic T cell responses. Despite advancements, the unique attributes of ASFV present hurdles in the development of a successful vaccine. In conclusion, this review examines the current state of ASFV immune responses and offers insights into future research directions, fostering the development of effective interventions against this devastating pathogen.

In silico identification of multi-target inhibitors from medicinal fungal metabolites against the base excision repair pathway proteins of African swine fever virus

“…The ASFV genome encodes over 150 proteins with varying functions. 12 However, only the base excision repair (BER) proteins—specifically, the apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease ( ASFV AP), the repair DNA polymerase ( ASFV PolX), and the DNA ligase ( ASFV Lig)—are involved in the correction of a damaged DNA. 13 When a damaged nucleotide base is detected, DNA glycosylase excises the damaged base and creates an abasic site.…”