PEPTIDE MIMOTOPES OF CARBOHYDRATE ANTIGENS

Carbohydrate structures have been identified as significant antigens f or bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens as well as targets on human tumor cells. Many of these antigens are poorly immunogenic in humans, requiring extensive adjuvant sublimation. Although conjugate carbohydr ate vaccines appear promising, there are limitations of using carbohyd rate formulations. An alternative approach is to use surrogate antigen s for some carbohydrates. We are developing peptides that mimic carboh ydrates which might be further manipulated to induce responses that ta rget biologically important carbohydrates expressed on pathogens and o n tumor cells. We have shown that peptide mimotopes of carbohydrates i nduce immune responses to carbohydrate structures with in vivo and vit ro functionality. Model systems include the Neisseria group C meningoc occal polysaccharide; the histo-blood group-related antigens expressed on tumor cells; and mannose, sialyl, and histo-blood group-related ca rbohydrate epitopes expressed on human immunodeficiency virus.