title: Synthesis, conformation, and immunoreactivity of new carrier molecules based on repeated tuftsin-like sequence.
abstract: Sequential oligopeptides based on a pentapeptide (TKPKG) derived from tuftsin with different lengths were synthesized by stepwise solid phase methodology. These highly soluble oligomers were nontoxic on mouse spleen cells, and other biological data suggested that tuftsin-like properties were also presented. The (TKPKG)n (n=2,4,6,8) oligopeptides were not immunogenic; however, they increased sheep red blood cells (SRBC) antigen specific antibody response in mice, demonstrating their immunostimulatory effect. Chemotactic activity was also found on J774 monocyte cells, while MRC5 fibroblasts were chemotactically nonresponders to the tested forms of tuftsin. These oligomers showed unordered and flexible structure by CD measurements, confirmed by computer modeling studies indicating also a fairly good accessibility of the epsilon-amino group of each lysine residue. Data suggest that these new oligotuftsin derivatives can be considered as promising carriers for synthetic vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, Budapest, Hungary. mezo@szerves.chem.elte.hu
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mezö
authors.forename: Adrián
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalászi
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reményi
authors.forename: Zsuzsa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Majer
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbert
authors.forename: Orsolya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Láng
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Köhidai
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barna
authors.forename: Dezsö
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gaál
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hudecz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D002460:Cell Line; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014405:Tuftsin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D014405:Tuftsin