Artificial COVID-19 T-Cell Immunogen.

An artificial T-cell immunogen consisting of conserved fragments of different proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its immunogenic properties were studied in BALB/c mice. To create a T-cell immunogen, we used an approach based on the design of artificial antigens that combine many epitopes from the main proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the one molecule. The gene of the engineered immunogen protein was cloned as part of the pVAX1 plasmid in two versions: with an N-terminal ubiquitin and without it. The obtained plasmids were analyzed for their ability to provide the synthesis of the immunogen protein in vitro and in vivo. It has been shown that protein product of the created artificial genes is actively processed in HEK293T cells and induces cellular immunity in mice.