Study of Klebsiella pneumoniae Vaccine Based on the Epitopes of Outer Membrane Proteins: An Immunoinformatic Approach

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae (K.pneumoniae) infections are usually considered life-threatening.Vaccination plays a crucial role in reducing the spread and mortality of infectious diseases.The present study aimed to investigate outer membrane protein K36 (OmpK36) and outer membrane protein X (OmpX) to identify suitable B-cell and T-cell epitopes for vaccine development against K. pneumoniae infections.Methods: To identify suitable B-cell and T-cell epitopes, bioinformatics servers were utilized, including VaxiJen, IEDB, APP, ABCpred, ExPASy, and EMBOSS.Molecular and physicochemical characteristics, as well as human similarity, toxicity, and allergenicity of epitopes were investigated. Results:The results of this study revealed that OmpK36 and OmpX are immunogenic.In total, 18 epitopes were identified, 13 for OmpK36 and 5 for OmpX.Exclusion criteria were applied, and eight epitopes were ultimately selected. Conclusion:According to the results of this study, eight appropriate epitopes for B cells and T cells were proposed for vaccine design against K. pneumoniae.Further in vitro and in vivo studies are recommended before determining the use of epitopes.