Recent clinical studies with mannan mucin immunotherapeutic agents indicate
that patients produce predominantly antibody responses while mice produce
a high cytotoxic T lymphocyte response. In studying the reason for the 'imm
une deviation' occurring in mice to humans from cellular to antibody respon
ses, it has been found that natural anti-Gal alpha(1,3)Gal antibodies, pres
ent in all humans, react with the mucin component of the agent, providing a
n example of a carbohydrate-peptide mimic. The immune deviation can be over
come by in vitro sensitization of antigen-presenting cells in the absence o
f anti-Gal antibodies - at least in mice. The review examines the backgroun
d of these observations and discusses other peptide carbohydrate mimics and
immune deviation.