In silico design of a Tubulin Beta-2A chain protein targeted multi-epitope vaccine against colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a predominant cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, requiring novel strategies for prevention and therapy. This paper details the in-silico design of a multi-epitope vaccine aimed at the tubulin beta-2A chain protein, exhibiting favorable antigenic characteristics for colorectal cancer immunotherapy. The vaccine design procedure utilized computational techniques to find cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), helper T lymphocytes (HTL), and B-cell epitopes. Each epitope underwent evaluation for antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity, resulting in the identification of ideal candidates. Linkers were utilized to assemble the ultimate multi-epitope vaccination sequence, augmenting immunogenicity. Structural and biochemical stability were confirmed using homology modeling and immunoinformatic methods. Molecular docking demonstrated robust binding interactions between the vaccine and Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), corroborating its effectiveness in eliciting an immunological response. Immune simulations forecasted substantial development of antibodies and memory cells. The results suggest that the proposed vaccination has potential for addressing CRC, pending additional validation both in vitro and in vivo.