title: Rapid attachment of a helper T cell epitope to branched peptides by fragment condensation to give enhanced immunogenicity.
abstract: We describe a rapid method of fragment condensation to couple a helper T cell epitope, active in BALB/c mice, to the amino terminus of branched peptides (or 'multiple antigenic peptides', MAPs). The helper T cell epitope-MAP conjugate considerably enhanced the immunogenicity in BALB/c mice of branched peptides. The method of fragment condensation, whereby the helper T cell epitope portion of the immunogen is added as a 'cassette' in a one step addition process, is both faster and more convenient than continuous step-by-step addition of individual amino acids and is likely to be generally applicable. The method should be advantageous in the development of peptide based vaccines.
authors.affiliation: MRC Virology Unit, Institute of Virology, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Munns
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Marsden
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D009211:Myoglobin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014764:Viral Proteins