Peptide Sequence of Pili Subunit Protein 49.8 kDa <i>Shigella flexneri</i> as Antigenic Epitope for Shigellosis Vaccine Development

Shigella Vaccines: The Continuing Unmet Challenge

“…Enhanced approaches to purifying IpaB-containing recombinant proteins, such as using N,N-dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide (LDAO) for chaperone removal, contributed to enhancing these recombinant proteins' ability to induce IL-17 expression and protect mice against Shigella challenge [130]. Recently, a self-adjuvanting vaccine candidate, L-DBF, was developed by combining LTA1, the active moiety of lethal toxin from ETEC, with DBF [131]. By employing LTA1 as part of the fusion antigen, the risk of Bell's palsy caused by dmLT could be circumvented [132]; however, the adjuvant potential of dmLT was retained.…”

“…Moreover, oral administration of peptides derived from the 49.8 kDa pili protein subunit of S. flexneri has been found to elicit robust intestinal immune responses in mice, including the activation of Th2 and Th17 cells, indicating it has potential for protecting against S. flexneri infection [150]. Q-S and D-K peptides from 49.8 kDa pili protein subunit have been shown to have a hemagglutinin activity and can mediate erythrocyte binding [131]. This 49.8 kDa pili protein has been shown to elicit significant increases in IL-17A levels, Th17 cells, and mucosal immune responses, suggesting they have potential as candidates for preventing Shigella and Vibrio cholerae infections [151].…”

“…Furthermore, synthetic and recombinant biology methods are facilitating the design and construction of conjugate and chimeric proteins that incorporate and/or combine immunogenic regions from different Shigella antigens [11,170]. Additionally, self-adjuvant vaccine platforms and formulations represent another frontier in Shigella vaccine development by incorporating components that stimulate the immune system and eliminating the need for additional adjuvants [131,140]. These technologies hold promise in addressing challenges associated with Shigella infections, advancing vaccine candidates toward clinical applications, and improving overall safety profiles.…”