A Novel Chimeric Vaccine Targeting Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor: A Computational Approach to Cancer Immunotherapy

Background: Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and LIF receptor (LIFR) are critical mediators of cellular processes, including immune regulation, stem cell maintenance, and tumor progression.In Oncology, aberrant LIF/LIFR signaling promotes tumor survival and immune evasion.This study presents the computational design of a novel chimeric vaccine targeting immunogenic epitopes derived from human LIF and LIFR. Materials and Methods:We employed comprehensive in silico methods to investigate the biochemical characteristics, immunogenic epitopes, and potential functional domains of LIF and LIFR.After identifying suitable regions and designing a chimeric vaccine, physicochemical properties and 3D structure were predicted using various bioinformatics tools, both individually and in combination.Results: The results showed highly antigenic B-cell and T-cell epitopes within LIF (amino acids 70-100) and LIFR (amino acids 700-780), as indicated by a VaxiJen score of 0.9737.A multi-epitope construct was engineered by fusing selected epitopes with flexible GGGGS linkers to enhance immunogenicity and structural stability.Conclusion: A computationally designed chimeric vaccine targeting LIF and LIFR is a promising cancer immunotherapy strategy.Also, success requires rigorous in vivo validation and optimization, highlighting computational biology's role in cancer treatment innovation and targeting key pathways.