Selection of T cell epitopes from S. mansoni Sm23 protein as a vaccine construct, using Immunoinformatics approach

Schistosomiasis, a neglected and most prevalenttropical diseases after malaria, have been a threat to people living in endemic areas. With regards to possible resistance to the popular drug (praziquantel) use for treatment of schistosomiasis, the need for a permanent vaccinating approach has been justified. This study uses an in silico approach to identify potential target vaccine candidate or T cell epitopes (T cell response activating epitope) for the treatment of schistosomiasis. This research therefore identified some candidate T cell epitopes from Sm23 protein of Schistosma mansoni using immunoinformatics tools. Nonameric epitopes like 85YMYAFFLVV93 , 83MLYMYAFFL91 , 8MRCLKSCVF16 , 41SQYGDNLHK49 and 104VAVVYKDRI112 was found to exhibit strong binding affinity with some human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The predicted epitope was found to have no similarity with human proteome, a good attribute that is conferred on any good vaccine candidate. The predicted epitopes provide promising drug candidates and could be tested by wet laboratory as targeted vaccine against S. mansoni infection

Screening of Ameloblastoma Cases in Ibadan for HPV and EBV Genes.

Context: This study investigated the presence or absence of β-catenin and Patched1 (PTCH1) genes involved in the developmental pathway in ameloblastoma, in order to clarify the genetic etiology of this tumor. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether PTCH1 and β-catenin genes are involved in the development of ameloblastoma. Subjects and Methods: Archived formalin-fixed paraffinembedded specimens of 89 ameloblastoma cases from the year 2000 to 2010 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: A total of 21 (23.6%) of the 89 ameloblastoma cases were positive for β-catenin gene, where 14/21 (66.7%) cases were mandibular ameloblastoma. Plexiform 5/21 (23.8%) and cystic 5/21 (23.8%) ameloblastoma were the most regular histological type positive for β-catenin. However, β-catenin positive was more in the feminine gender (11/19, 57.9%) than the masculine (8/19, 42.1%). Only one case was positive for PTCH1 gene and this was histologically a mandibular site and plexiform-type ameloblastoma. Conclusions: This study suggested that β-catenin and PTCH1 genes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ameloblastoma

Relationship between Physico-chemical Parameters and Phylogenetics Study of Human Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein (LRP)

In this study, 11members of human low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) sequences was retrieved from UniProtKB/ SWISS-PROT protein database and was analyzed for information about their structural, functional and phylogenetic features. This was achieved by using many established biocomputational tools which was available at their latest version. This study shows that LRP 12 and 3 are closely related with LRP8 being their nearest neighbor. In all, it was observed that there were very low possession of certain essential amino acid like glycine, proline and a very high aliphatic in all the LRP family. Considering the evolutionary history, functional domains, high aliphatic index, overall proportion of glycine and proline and the established role of one (LRP8) of this closely related LRP in diseases, it is thus predicted that the other closely related LRP3 and 12 molecules may be important candidate in investigating the aetiopathology of Myocardial infarction1diseases or other heart related disorder

Understanding the Phylogenetics and Evolution of Genus Schistosoma- Africa and Asia Stand Point.

The evolutionary spread of schistosomes infection was reportedly prominent more in Africa and Asia continents. This study therefore examined the evolutionary trend of this parasite while limiting the investigation to Schistosoma species peculiar to this region of the world. The evolutionary history of this species group was inferred using DNA sequences from NCBI Genbank database and Maximum likelihood, Ancestral inference; Neighbor-Joining method analysis was employed in this study. All members of this species complex were AT rich, with S. mekongi and S. malayensis having the highest AT nucleotide composition. The smallest evolutionary divergence was also observed in S. curassoni and S. bovis. The finding of this study slightly contradict previous report on ancestral prediction of Schistosomes

An immunoinformatics approach for the design of a multi-epitope subunit vaccine for urogenital schistosomiasis

Discovery of T and B memory cells capable of eliciting long-term immunity against schistosomiasisis is important for people in endemic areas. Changes in schistosomes environment due to developmental cycle, induces up-regulation of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) which assist the parasite in coping with the hostile conditions associated with its life cycle. This study therefore focused on exploring the role of HSPs in urogenital schistosomiasis to develop new multi-epitope subunit vaccine against the disease using immunoinformatic approaches. The designed subunit vaccine was subjected to in silico antigenicity, immunogenicity, allergenicity and physicochemical parameters analysis. A 3D structure of the vaccine construct was predicted, followed by disulphide engineering for stability, codon adaptation and in silico cloning for proper expression and molecular protein–protein docking of vaccine construct in the vector against toll-like receptor 4 receptor, respectively. Consequently, a 493 amino acid multi-epitope vaccine construct of antigenicity probability of 0.91 was designed. This was predicted to be stable, non-allergenic in nature and safe for human use

Metabolite profiling for biomarkers in <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> infection and associated bladder pathologies

<div><p>Background</p><p>Metabolic fingerprinting analysis can offer insights into underlying reactions in a biological system; hence it is crucial to the understanding of disease pathogenesis and could provide useful tools for discovering biomarkers. We sought to examine the urine and plasma metabolome in individuals affected by urogenital schistosomiasis and its associated-bladder pathologies.</p><p>Methodology</p><p>Blood and midstream urine were obtained from volunteers who matched our inclusion criteria among residents from Eggua, southwestern Nigeria. Samples were screened by urinalysis, microscopy, PCR and ultrasonography, and categorised as advanced (urogenital schistosomiasis associated-bladder pathologies), infection-only (urogenital schistosomiasis alone) and controls (no infection and no pathology). Metabolites were extracted and data acquired with ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Thermo Q-Exactive orbitrap HRMS. Data was analysed with MetaboAnalyst, Workflow4Metabolomics, HMDB, LipidMaps and other bioinformatics tools, with univariate and multivariate statistics for metabolite selection.</p><p>Principal findings</p><p>There were low levels of host sex steroids, and high levels of several benzenoids, catechols and lipids (including ganglioside, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine), in infection-only and advanced cases (FDR<0.05, VIP>2, delta>2.0). Metabolites involved in biochemical pathways related to chorismate production were abundant in controls, while those related to choline and sphingolipid metabolism were upregulated in advanced cases (FDR<0.05). Some of these human host and <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> molecules, including catechol estrogens, were good markers to distinguish infection-only and advanced cases.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Altered glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism could be key factors promoting the development of bladder pathologies and tumours during urogenital schistosomiasis.</p></div

Probable <i>S</i>. <i>haematobium</i> estrogen related metabolites in urine of study participants in Eggua, Nigeria.

<p>Probable <i>S</i>. <i>haematobium</i> estrogen related metabolites in urine of study participants in Eggua, Nigeria.</p

Urine and plasma samples have different separation patterns in different states of urogenital schistosomiasis and induced pathologies.

<p>Separation patterns were drawn with PLSDA score plots of mass spectral data. Spectral data was captured for urogenital schistosomiasis induced-pathology cases (Advanced), urogenital schistosomiasis alone (Infection-only), pathology with no detectable urogenital schistosomiasis (Pathology-only) and Controls. The plots show that statistically, the various study groups can be defined independently using their metabolite component. ESI is electrospray ionization.</p

Discrimination of urine and plasma samples according to different states of urogenital schistosomiasis and induced pathologies can be validated.

<p>Cross validation plots of mass spectral data were drawn, with data capture for urogenital schistosomiasis induced pathology cases (Advanced), urogenital schistosomiasis alone (Infection-only), pathology with no detectable urogenital schistosomiasis (Pathology-only) and controls. The plots show that PLSDA discrimination were valid. ESI is electrospray ionization.</p

Probable novel <i>S</i>. <i>haematobium</i> molecules as potential biomarkers of urogenital schistosomiasis associated bladder pathology (advanced) and urogenital schistosomiasis (infection-only).

<p>Probable novel <i>S</i>. <i>haematobium</i> molecules as potential biomarkers of urogenital schistosomiasis associated bladder pathology (advanced) and urogenital schistosomiasis (infection-only).</p