Multi-Epitope DNA-Based Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine Construct Designed by Immunoinformatic and Machine Learning Tools as a Surrogate Model for HIV Vaccine Development

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that exhibits significant structural and pathological similarities to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), establishing it as a valuable model for HIV vaccine development. In this study, artificial intelligence (AI) and immunoinformatics were employed to design a novel multi-epitope DNA vaccine targeting conserved regions of the FIV <i>gag</i>, <i>pol</i>, and <i>env</i> genes. Predicted B-cell and T-cell epitopes were evaluated for their capacity to induce strong immune responses while minimizing allergenic or toxic effects and were linked to the immune adjuvant PADRE. Structural analysis indicated that the vaccine construct is stable, soluble, and biocompatible, with a well-folded tertiary structure that binds Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and elicits robust humoral and cellular immune responses. These findings identify a promising FIV vaccine candidate and provide insights for the development of next-generation HIV vaccines.