title: Peptide mimics elicit antibody responses against the outer-membrane lipooligosaccharide of group B neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: As an alternative approach towards the development of a meningococcal vaccine, the potential of peptide mimics of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) to elicit cross-reactive immune responses against LOS was investigated. The heptapeptides SMYGSYN and APARQLP were identified by enrichment from a coliphage display library with a LOS-specific monoclonal antibody. Mice immunised with these peptides conjugated to diphtheria toxoid elicited a total IgG response to LOS with geometric mean titres 2-4 times higher compared with non-immunised controls. There was an increase in LOS-specific IgG1 immunoglobulin, whereas specific IgG2a and IgG3 decreased slightly in response to immunisation. The data demonstrated that peptide mimics can elicit immune responses against meningococcal LOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Royal Free and University College Medical School, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Charalambous
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Feavers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007114:Immunization; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D019151:Peptide Library; D010455:Peptides