title: Natural and synthetic saponin adjuvant QS-21 for vaccines against cancer.
abstract: One of the most widely used and potent immunological adjuvants is a mixture of soluble triterpene glycosides purified from the soap bark tree (Quillaja saponaria). Despite challenges in production, quality control, stability and toxicity, the QS-21 fraction from this extract has exhibited exceptional adjuvant properties for a range of antigens. It possesses an ability to augment clinically significant antibody and T-cell responses to vaccine antigens against a variety of infectious diseases, degenerative disorders and cancers. The recent synthesis of active molecules of QS-21 has provided a robust method to produce this leading vaccine adjuvant in high purity as well as to produce novel synthetic QS-21 congeners designed to induce increased immune responsiveness and decreased toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Vaccinology, Melanoma and Sarcoma Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. ragupatg@mskcc.org
authors.forename: Govind
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ragupathi
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Philip O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Livingston
authors.forename: David Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Gin
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D031990:Quillaja / Q000737:chemistry; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D012503:Saponins; C078785:saponin QA-21V1