ISSN:
1365-3083
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
To investigate the role of synthetic polypeptide carriers in inducing an epitope-specific immune response relevant for vaccine design, peptides comprising two distinct regions of herpes simplex virus type I glycoprotein D (1–23 and 273–284) have been conjugated to the branched polypeptides with polylysine backbone, poly[L-Lys-(DL-Alam)] (AK), or poly[L-Lys-(LeUi-DL-Alam)] (LAK) and to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH). The magnitude, fine specificity and isotype distribution of the conjugate-, peptide and carrier-specific antibody responses were characterized in immunized BALB/c and CBA mice. Conjugates containing the polypeptide carrier AK were the most effective in inducing HSV gD-peptide specific antibody responses while KLH peptide conjugates resulted in conjugate-specific antibody responses without measurable peptide specificity. The efficacy of AK-peptide conjugates was verified by the dominant appearance of peptide-specific antibodies belonging to functionally efficient IgG isotopes, accompanied by low levels of carrier specific antibody responses. Preimmunization of BALB/ or CBA mice with AK conjugates comprising the 1–23 or 276–284 HSV peptides resulted in prolonged survival of animals infected with a lethal dose of infectious HSV-1. The potency of these conjugates in eliciting a protective immune response shows a close correlation with the relative levels of conjugate-induced virus specific antibodies and the neutralizing activity of sera as measured in preimmunized survivors.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3083.1994.tb03512.x
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