title: Antigenic features of protein carriers commonly used in immunisation trials.
abstract: An aluminium hydroxide adjuvant induced a more elevated and rapid immune responses against short peptides conjugated to the Keyhole Lympet Hemocyanin carrier than immuneasy adjuvant. Furthermore, since carrier proteins may compete with the fused or chemically linked polypeptides in eliciting antigen-specific immune response, we classified the immunogenicity of the most common carrier proteins used in molecular biology for antigen expression and mouse immunisation. The disulfide isomerase protein A gave a carrier with the lowest immunogenicity whilst disulfide isomerase protein C gave the highest immunogenicity and therefore should be avoided as a fusion partner. Using this protein as a model, we identified and located the immunodominant epitopes along its sequence. These results now enable the combination of carrier and immunisation conditions to be optimized.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology, CIR, University of Rome Campus Bio-medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pieranna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiarella
authors.forename: Bärbel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Edelmann
authors.forename: Vito M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.forename: Ario
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Marco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D019704:Protein Disulfide-Isomerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014612:Vaccines; D019704:Protein Disulfide-Isomerases