Search

.

The structure-antigenic relationship of carbohydrate epitopes is explored by examining several analogues of both KH-1 and Le(super Y). A convergent synthetic approach to the analogues was designed on the basis of well-established glycal methodology, employing a minimum number of building blocks to generate component antigens with high stereoselectivity and reasonable yield.

Research was conducted to examine the development of a synthetic methodology to gain access to the clustered antigen motifs. Other objectives were to assess the immunogenicity of the clustered glycopeptide fragments in mice and to develop and evaluate antitumor glycopeptide-based vaccines. Glycal assembly and cassette methodologies were used to obtain the two tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens, Tn and Tf. Results confirm the immunogenicity of complex synthetic carbohydrate antigens for use in vaccines.

Many human carcinomas overexpress the Lewisy (Ley) blood-group epitope [Fucα1→2Galβ1→4 (Fucα1→3)GlcNAcβ1→3Gal-]. With a view to developing Ley based vaccines we have examined the immunogenicity of Ley-protein conjugates in mice. Ley pentasaccharide was synthesized as its allyl glycoside and coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) by reductive amination or by a novel method utilizing a maleido-derivitized alkyl carboxyhydrazide as a bridging group to 2-iminothiolane-derivitized KLH. Ley oligosaccharide was also coupled to bovine serum albumin by reductive amination. Immunization of groups of mice with the three conjugates, together with the immunological adjuvant QS21, showed that Ley oligosaccharide directly coupled to KLH was the most efficient conjugate for eliciting IgG and IgM antibody responses to naturally occurring forms of Ley epitopes carried on mucins and glycolipids. These antibodies were also reactive with and cytotoxic to a human breast cancer cell line expressing Ley (MCF-7). These experiments suggest that Ley-KLH antigen and QS21 adjuvant could be considered as an immunogenic therapeutic vaccine in carcinoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[structure: see text] As part of our ongoing anticancer vaccine program, we recently found that antibodies generated in response to the KH-1-KLH construct recognized not only KH-1 antigen but also the Lewis Y (Le(y)) antigen as well, with antibody titer levels much higher than those observed after immunization with individual Le(y)-KLH vaccine constructs. In an attempt to explore the structure-antigenic relationship of these carbohydrate epitopes, several analogues of both KH-1 and Le(y) were synthesized. A convergent synthetic approach to the analogues was designed on the basis of well-established glycal methodology, employing a minimum number of building blocks to generate competent antigens with high stereoselectivity and reasonable yield.

Purpose: We report the synthesis of a mucin-related O-linked glycopeptide, alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine-O-serine/threonine (Tn), which is highly simplistic in its structure and can induce a relevant humoral response when given in a trimer or clustered (c) formation. We tested for an antitumor effect, in the form of a change in the posttreatment versus pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) slopes, that might serve as a surrogate for effectiveness of vaccines in delaying the time to radiographic progression., Methods: We compared the antibody response to immunization with two conjugates, Tn(c)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and Tn(c)-palmitic acid (PAM) with the saponin immunologic adjuvant QS21, in a phase I clinical trial in patients with biochemically relapsed prostate cancer. Patients received Tn(c)-KLH vaccine containing either 3, 7, or 15 microg of Tn(c) per vaccination. Ten patients received 100 microg of Tn(c)-PAM. QS21 was included in all vaccines. Five vaccinations were administered subcutaneously during 26 weeks with an additional booster vaccine at week 50., Results: Tn(c), when given with the carrier molecule KLH and QS21, stimulated the production of high-titer immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies. Inferior antibody responses were seen with T(c)-PAM. There was no evidence of enhanced immunogenicity with increasing doses of vaccine. An antitumor effect in the form of a decline in posttreatment versus pretreatment PSA slopes was also observed., Conclusion: A safe synthetic conjugate vaccine in a trimer formation was developed that can break immunologic tolerance by inducing specific humoral responses. It seemed to affect the biochemical progression of the disease as determined by a change in PSA log slope.

Human trials on the globo H carbohydrate vaccine (see picture, KLH=the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin) show that it produces strong IgM, and in some cases IgG, responses in patients with progressive and recurrent prostate cancer. Furthermore, these antibodies not only recognize synthetic antigens, but also globo H-positive tumors in biopsy extracts and tumor tissues., (© 1999 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Fed. Rep. of Germany.)