[Elaboration of new adjuvant lipid-saponin complex and its use at experimental immunization by bacterial antigen]

Results of experiments on modification of immunostimulating complexes (ISCOM's) matrix by the replacement of the phospholipid for the glycolipid (monogalactosyldiacylglycerol) from sea macrophytes, and saponin QuillA to triterpene glycoside of cucumarioside A2-2 from Cucumaria japonica are shown. The resultant complexes include the morphological structures of two types: ISCOM-like structures with the characteristic morphology and sizes and also the tubular structures with diameter of approximately 40 nm and length of 150-400 nm. We have named these structures as TI-complexes. These TI-complexes exhibit considerably lower toxicity than ISCOM. They may include an amphiphilic protein antigen and provide immunoadjuvant effect during experimental vaccination. Under conditions of experimental immunization of mice by a weak immunogen--(subunit membrane pore protein from Y. pseudotuberculosis), TI-complexes with antigen provided stronger humoral immune response to antigen than the complexes of porin with classical ISCOM, liposomes and Freund's adjuvant. Thus, it's shown the prospect of the use of TI-complexes as a new type of adjuvant carriers for antigens.