Abstract
Objectives: The spike protein has been reported as one of the most critical targets for vaccine design strategies against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hence, we have designed, produced, and evaluated the potential use of three truncated recombinant proteins derived from spike protein as vaccine candidates capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Methods: In silico tools were used to design spike-based subunit recombinant proteins (RBD (P 1 ), fusion peptide (P 2 ), and S1/S2 cleavage site (P 3 )). These proteins were checked for their ability to be identified by the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by exposing them to COVID-19 serum samples. The proteins were also injected into mice and rabbit, and the antibody titers were measured for 390 days to assess their neutralization efficiency.
Results: The antibodies that existed in the serum of COVID-19 patients were identified by designed proteins. The anti-spike antibody titer was increased in the animals injected with recombinant proteins. The VNT results revealed that the produced antibodies could neutralize the cultured live virus.
Conclusion: Truncated subunit vaccines could also be considered as robust tools for effective vaccination against COVID-19. Using a combination of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments, it was shown that the injection of spike-based truncated recombinant proteins could stimulate long-lasting and neutralizing antibody responses.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; in silico; neutralizing antibody; spike protein; vaccine.
【저자키워드】 neutralizing antibody, SARS-CoV-2, Vaccine, in silico, Spike protein, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Vaccine, antibody, neutralization, Vaccine design, Infection, SARS-CoV-2 virus, Proteins, in vitro, Protein, serum, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody, mice, RBD, Antibody titer, vaccine candidate, target, Subunit vaccine, Neutralizing, fusion peptide, Critical, Live virus, anti-spike antibody, recombinant proteins, Combination, S1/S2 cleavage site, COVID-19 patient, Efficiency, Recombinant protein, subunit, serum samples, injection, neutralizing antibody responses, VNT, vaccination against COVID-19, effective, neutralize, robust, produced, shown, reported, evaluated, injected, were used, long-lasting, stimulate, were measured, checked, in vivo experiments, the SARS-CoV-2, was increased, 【제목키워드】 Spike protein, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, vaccine candidate, recombinant, subunit, elicit,