title: Enhancement of peptide immunogenicity by linear polymerization.
abstract: The effect of linear homopolymerization on the immunogenicity of synthetic peptides was studied using either haptenic peptides (representing amino acid sequences 103-115 and 133-147 of bovine rotavirus major protein) or immunogenic peptides TD-103-115 and TD-133-147 which were constructed by co-linear synthesis of the former peptides and an amino acid sequence representing a determinant recognized by T helper cells (TD). It was found that the two haptenic peptides were rendered immunogenic by linear homopolymerization. Moreover, homopolymerization also enhanced the immunogenicity of TD-103-115 but not that of TD-133-147. In the three cases where polymerization enhanced immunogenicity, a reinforced amphipathic pattern was predicted in the neighborhood of the junction of the monomers. The possibility that polymerization might have generated a new T cell determinant is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D006389:Hemagglutinins, Viral; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine