Revolutionizing Nipah virus vaccinology: insights into subunit vaccine development strategies and immunological advances

The Nipah virus (NiV), a zoonotic virus in the Henipavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family, emerged in Malaysia in 1998 and later spread globally. Diseased patients may have a 40- 70% chance of fatality depending on the severity and early medication. The recent outbreak of NiV was reported in Kerala (India) by a new strain of MCL-19-H-1134 isolate. Currently, no vaccines are available, highlighting the critical need for a conclusive remedy. Our study aims to develop a subunit vaccine against the NiV by analyzing its proteome. NiV genome and proteome sequences were obtained from the NCBI database. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on genome alignment. T-cell, helper T-cell, and B-cell epitopes were predicted from the protein sequences using NetCTL-1.2, NetMHCIIPan-4.1, and IEDB servers, respectively. High-affinity epitopes for human receptors were selected to construct a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV). These epitopes’ antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity were evaluated using VaxiJen, AllergenFP-v.1.0, and AllergenFP algorithms. Molecular interactions with specific receptors were analyzed using PyRx and ClusPro. Amino acid interactions were visualized and analyzed using PyMOL and LigPlot. Immuno-simulation was conducted using C-ImmSim to assess the immune response elicited by the MEV. Finally, the vaccine cDNA was inserted into the pET28a(+) expression vector using SnapGene tool for in silico cloning in an E. coli host. The potential for an imminent outbreak cannot be overlooked. A subunit vaccine is more cost-effective and time-efficient. With additional in vitro and in vivo validation, this vaccine could become a superior preventive measure against NiV disease.