title: Comparative immunogenicity of free and carrier-conjugated peptides derived from the constant regions of a polymorphic malarial surface antigen.
abstract: One peptide (L7) representing the entire constant N-terminal region, and two peptides (L5 and L6) representing the entire C-terminal constant region of the variable merozoite surface antigen MSA2, were synthesised by solid-state (tBOC) chemistry. Mice were immunised with the peptides alone and conjoined to the carrier protein diphtheria toxoid (DT) using the hetero-bifunctional reagent maleimidocaproyloxysuccinimide (MCS). Immune response was evaluated against the peptide itself by ELISA and against the intact protein MSA2 by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Whereas all peptides elicited a strong specific antipeptide response when administered as conjugates only L7 and L6 elicited an anti-peptide response in the absence of carrier. L5 and L7 conjugates elicited sera reactive with the intact MSA2, whereas only L7 elicited such specificity in the absence of carrier.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Australia.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saul
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007114:Immunization; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium