Exploiting molecular mimicry to broaden the immune response to carbohydrate antigens for vaccine development

Peptide mimetics of carbohydrates represent an alternative approach to induce anti-carbohydrate responses. Depending on their formulation. peptide mimetics can mediate T-independent or T-dependent responses. Multivalent peptide mimeotopes can induce high IgM/IgG ratios. as non-conjugated carbohydrates do. Here we observe that immunization with multivalent peptide mimeotope conjugated to BSA enhances carbohydrate reactive antibodies in Balb/c mice and sid mice, with IgG1 greater than IgG2a, in sid mice. These results suggest that mimeotope-conjugate formulations might augment carbohydrate-specific immune responses in immune-compromised hosts. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.