Preliminary In silico Analysis of Echinococcus granulosus Calreticulin for Enhanced Vaccine Design against Cystic Echinococcosis.

Background: A neglected zoonosis, Cystic Echinococcosis (CE), is most common in developing nations worldwide. Vaccination is, therefore, helpful in preventing this disease.

Objective: Predicting the main biochemical properties of E. granulosus Calreticulin (CRT) and its possible B-cell and T-cell-binding epitopes as a valuable candidate for immunization was the goal of the current study.

Methods: Predictions were made to determine biochemical, antigenic, structural, and subcellular characteristics, along with the immunogenic epitopes, using several online servers.

Results: The extracellular 48.15 KDa protein exhibited no allergenicity, while possessing hydrophilicity (GRAVY: -0.785), stability (instability: 33.88), tolerance to a wide range of temperatures (aliphatic: 62.45), and 59 post-translational modification sites. The secondary structure mostly comprised random coils and extended strands. The 3D model was generated using the Robetta server (confidence: 0.72), and was rehashed and confirmed subsequently. Common B-cell epitopes were discovered by three servers and screened for antigenic, allergenic, and solubility traits. Moreover, MHC-associated epitopes for mice and humans were predicted in E. granulosus CRT with subsequent screening.

Conclusion: This work offers a foundation for further investigation in order to design an effective vaccination against CE. Further empirical research on the examined protein solely or in combination with other antigens is needed.