Impact of Semiochemicals Binding to Fel d 1 on Its 3D Conformation and Predicted B-Cell Epitopes Using Computational Approaches

Abstract

The major cat allergen Fel d 1 is a tetrameric glycoprotein from the secretoglobin superfamily. Fel d 1’s biological role is unknown, but it has been previously shown that it participates in semiochemical binding/transportation. Fel d 1 has linear epitopes, but its conformational epitope sites remain unclear. In this study, we predicted the B-cell epitopes of Fel d 1 and explored semiochemical dynamics with epitopes using bioinformatics tools. The epitope residues were tabulated for chains 1 and 2 and the heterodimers of Fel d 1. The residual interactions of Fel d 1 with IgE were evaluated, and the prominent epitope sites were predicted. The molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) of Fel d 1 was performed with seven reported semiochemicals to evaluate the Fel d 1–ligand complex stability and decipher the semiochemical effect on Fel d 1 conformational epitopes. Fel d 1–lauric acid, Fel d 1–oleic acid, and Fel d 1–progesterone showed more stability and less fluctuation than other compounds. Fel d 1–linoleic acid and Fel d 1–pregnenolone displayed the most unstable complex with fluctuations. The effects of conformational changes on epitopes are discussed. All the ligand complexes drive substantial fluctuation towards the functionally exposed IgE-binding epitopes. Fel d 1 could be examined for its ligand-binding and conformational changes caused by mutations of B-cell epitopes.