Designing of a Multi-Epitope Antigen for Toxocariasis Diagnosis: An in Silico Approach

Background

Toxoariasis is recognized as one of the most widespread diseases affecting both animals and humans, exhibiting a global distribution. In light of the public health challenges it poses, particularly for children infected with Toxocara canis, the development of effective diagnostic tests or vaccines is of paramount importance. Serological methods are routinely employed to detect specific anti-Toxocara antibodies in infected individuals. This bioinformatics study aims to formulate a multi-epitope protein for Toxocara canis, leveraging various immunoinformatics web servers to enhance the accuracy of serodiagnosis.

Methods

The identification of linear and conformational B-cell epitopes for the antigens TES-26, TES-30, and TES-120 was conducted using the ABCpred and BepiPred servers. Various web servers were employed to evaluate antigenicity, solubility, and physicochemical properties, as well as to examine secondary and tertiary structures, enhance the three-dimensional model, and confirm the findings.

Results

This process led to the identification of conformational B-cell epitopes, aimed at exploring possible protein-antibody interactions.

Conclusion

Ultimately, further experimental investigations are essential for this multi-epitope construct before it can be incorporated into commercial serodiagnosis kits.