Open AccessLipopeptides: adjuvanticity in conventional and genetic immunization
Author(s) -
Mittenbühler K.,
Esche U. v.d.,
Heinevetter L.,
Bessler W.G.,
Huber M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/s0928-8244(03)00069-5
Subject(s) - lipopeptide , adjuvant , toxoid , biology , immune system , immunization , antigen , in vivo , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , in vitro , humoral immunity , dna vaccination , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics
Synthetic lipopeptides derived from the bacterial cell wall component lipoprotein activate B‐lymphocytes and macrophages/monocytes in vitro. In vivo they constitute potent immunoadjuvants for a broad range of different antigens and species comparable or superior to Freund's adjuvant. Here, we demonstrate that P 3 CSK 4 , representing a highly active lipopentapeptide derivative in vitro, significantly enhances and accelerates the humoral immune response to tetanus toxoid. P 3 CSK 4 could substitute for up to 90% of the antigen without any decrease in the specific IgG level, and the presence of the lipopeptide resulted in a prolonged production of specific IgG in time. Investigations using P 3 CSK 4 as an adjuvant in genetic immunization confirmed earlier data demonstrating that lipopeptides constitute adjuvants for low‐immunogenic DNA constructs and/or for application routes resulting in weak immune responses. We monitored a lipopeptide‐dependent shift from a Th1‐type to Th2‐type response, when DNA immunization was followed by i.p. administration of the lipopeptide adjuvant.