[Artificial peptide and carbohydrate antigens. Immobilization of haptens and adjuvant (MDP) on polyacrylamide]

To study the influence of the polyacrylamide carrier on immunogenic properties of the peptide and oligosaccharide haptens, we have prepared artificial antigens by conjugation of a synthetic hexapeptide (homologous to the fragment 95-100 of the murine H-2Db antigen heavy chain) or of an oligosaccharide (antigenic determinant of human blood groops, Lea) with polyacrylamide. In some cases the conjugates containing also a synthetic glycopeptide adjuvant, N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP), were used. Antisera against haptens were obtained by immunization of BALB/c mice with corresponding conjugates. By the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay it was shown that these antisera had a high binding titer (up to 10 000) to corresponding hapten, and MDP immobilized on the same carrier as hapten possessed a considerable immunostimulating activity. Thus, usefulness of polyacrylamide for preparation of immunogenic artificial molecules carrying peptide and oligosaccharide haptens was demonstrated.