Predicting the best immune system stimulating regions of HIV Vif protein in Iranian patients

HIV has at least six regulatory genes among which the Vif protein can control HIV replication. This study, as the first report, investigated the important mutations in VIF protein in sequences from Iranian patients and using immunoinformatics, conserved regions of this protein and B-Cell, T-Cell and CTL epitopes to stimulate the immune system, were determined.

VIF sequences were obtained from NCBI GenBank, and tertiary structures, B-Cell, T-Cell and CTL epitopes were predicted by bioinformatics tools; besides, their antigenic and allergenic properties were studied.

The most prevalent mutations in Vif protein were related to S 49 P (90%), S 140 N and N 186 S (80%). Two substitutions at positions 41 and 42 were introduced which have effect on Vif binding to host factor. In addition, three regions were identified as the best epitope sequences with high potential to induce immune system and the lowest allergic properties, among which 5-32 region was suggested as the best vaccine candidate regions.

This study as the first study from Iran using immunoinformatics tools to introduced a region with the high potential to induce humoral and cellular immune systems and lowest allergenic properties which can be used for further studies on HIV vaccines.