High‐throughput peptide array analysis and computational techniques for serological profiling of flavivirus infections: Implications for diagnostics and vaccine development
Arthropod-borne viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV), pose significant global health threats, with DENV alone infecting around 400 million people annually and causing outbreaks beyond endemic regions. This study aimed to enhance serological diagnosis and discover new drugs by identifying immunogenic protein regions of DENV. Utilizing a comprehensive approach, the study focused on peptides capable of distinguishing DENV from other flavivirus infections through serological analyses. Over 200 patients with confirmed arbovirus infection were profiled using high-density pan flavivirus peptide arrays comprising 6253 peptides and the computational method matrix of local coupling energy (MLCE). Twenty-four peptides from nonstructural and structural viral proteins were identified as specifically recognized by individuals with DENV infection. Six peptides were confirmed to distinguish DENV from Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), Yellow Fever virus (YFV), Usutu virus (USUV), and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections, as well as healthy controls. Moreover, the combination of two immunogenic peptides emerged as a potential serum biomarker for DENV infection. These peptides, mapping to highly accessible regions on protein structures, show promise for diagnostic and prophylactic strategies against flavivirus infections. The described methodology holds broader applicability in the serodiagnosis of infectious diseases.
Authors
- Enrico Mario Alessandro Fassi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6282-4273)
- Renata Grifantini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0024-3355)
- Maria Rita Gismondo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6926-8660)
- Alessandro Ferrari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2397-7079)
- Sergio Abrignani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0794-3285)
- Fausto Baldanti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3358-8969)
- Davide Mileto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9414-0287)
- Giorgio Colombo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1318-668X)
- Mauro Bombaci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9887-4165)
- Edoardo Marchisio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7734-9177)
- Alessandro Mancon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1490-636X)
- Elena Percivalle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3355-1410)
- Josè Camilla Sammartino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3707-3118)
- Irene Cassaniti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3385-2088)
- Emanuele Casali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7501-5213)
- Andrea Gobbini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8846-4656)
- Elisa Pesce (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4214-1904)
- Romualdo Grande
Institutions
- University of Milan (IT)
- University of Pavia (IT)
- Policlinico San Matteo Fondazione (IT)
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT)
- ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco (IT)
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Medical Virology
- Published
- 2024-09-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.29923
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.09
Funders
- European Commission
- Ministero della Salute
- Regione Lombardia
- Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi