2.5. HLA Class I Epitope Prediction

In order to predict MHC-class I epitopes, protein sequences were downloaded from UniProt database (https://www.uniprot.org/ (accessed on 23 March 2021)), and the entire sequence was analyzed with NetMHCpan4.1 tool (https://services.healthtech.dtu.dk/service.php?NetMHCpan-4.1 (accessed on 23 March 2021)), to predict the binding affinity [23] and with NetMHCstabpan1.0 tool (https://services.healthtech.dtu.dk/service.php?NetMHCstabpan-1.0 (accessed on 25 March 2021)), to predict the stability of 9-mer peptides [24]. Prediction analyses were performed for the HLA-A*02:01 and HLA-A*24:02 alleles, selecting only peptides considered weak and strong binders, according to default parameters (WB; SB).