IMMUNE-RELATED EDEMAGENIC ACTIVITY OF GLUTAMINES AND GLUTAMIC-ACID, COMPONENTS OF IMMUNOMODULATORY AGENTS

A number of compounds, in their structure similar to the immunomodulat ory agent adamantylamide-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (AdDP), a desmuramyl analog of muramyl dipeptide (MDP), were compared with respect to their in vivo immunobiological activity. The agents were represented by ada mantylamide-peptides or -amino acids differing principally in the natu re of glutaminyl moieties. They were all able to induce inflammatory r eaction which was prevented by anti-T-cell (T-H) mAb, silica, indometh acin and dexamethasone. Responsible for this effect proved to be gluta minyl moieties (glutamine, isoglutamine, or glutamic acid), irrespecti ve of their stereospecificity. Unlike the immunomodulatory molecule of AdDP, neither of the compounds and amino acids were able to stimulate production of antibodies in immunized animals, however.