Comparative immunological properties of enantiomeric peptides

✍ Scribed by Pele Chong; Charles Sia; Brian Tripet; Olive James; Michel Klein

• Book ID: 104632116
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 617 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-3149
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00126739

✦ Synopsis

The immunogenicity of a peptide composed of only D-amino acids is compared with that of the corresponding L-peptide enantiomer. Following three administrations of 100 ~tg of individual peptide formulated with different adjuvants (Freund's complete adjuvant, QS21, or alum) to BALB/c mice, guinea pigs and rabbits, the L-peptide elicited strong L-peptide-specific IgG antibody responses in all formulations, whereas the D-peptide-induced D-peptide-speeific IgG antibodies in the Freund's complete adjuvant and QS21 formulations, but was nonimmunogenic in the alum formulation. Mouse T-cell lines induced by the D-peptide formulated in Freund's complete adjuvant were found to express significant amounts of IL-2 when they were stimulated by the D-peptide. When an equal amount of both enantiomers was mixed and administered in Freund's complete adjuvant, only an L-peptidespecific IgG antibody response was observed. These results suggest that (i) D-peptide is immunogenic when strong adjuvant is provided; (ii) the immune system has preferential recognition of L-amino acid peptide; and (iii) the D-peptide can elicit D-peptide-specific T-cell responses.