Synthesis of toll-like receptor-2 targeting lipopeptides as self-adjuvanting vaccines

Methods Mol Biol. 2008:494:247-61. doi: 10.1007/978-1-59745-419-3_14.

Abstract

Effective Th1- and Th2-type immune responses that result in protective immunity against pathogens can be induced by self-adjuvanting lipopeptides containing the lipid moiety dipalmitoyl-S-glyceryl cysteine (Pam2Cys). The potent immunogenicity of these lipopeptides is due to their ability to activate dendritic cells by targeting and signaling through Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2). In addition, the simplicity and flexibility in their design as well as their ease of chemical definition and characterisation makes them highly attractive vaccine candidates for humans and animals. We describe in this chapter the techniques involved in the synthesis of an immunocontraceptive lipopeptide vaccine as well as the experimental assays carried out to evaluate its efficiency.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic* / chemical synthesis
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic* / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Contraceptive Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Contraceptive Agents / chemistry
  • Contraceptive Agents / immunology
  • Epitopes
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Peptides* / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides* / chemistry
  • Peptides* / immunology
  • Pregnancy
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / immunology*
  • Vaccines* / chemistry
  • Vaccines* / immunology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Contraceptive Agents
  • Epitopes
  • Lipids
  • Peptides
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2
  • Vaccines