Generation of Ag-Specific Antibody Responses

High Ab titers specific for the MUCl epitope were observed only in mice immunized with the C5a-active construct, F/fQGGFLGLYSFKPMPLaR and the epitope-KLH construct. These anti-epitope Abs were shown to cross react with rhMUCl protein expressed on the surface of a transfected pancreatic cell line (Panc-1 M1F.15). This indicates that the mii-YKQGGFLGL Abs appear to recognize the YKQGGFLGL epitope within intact whole MUCl protein. 

Over the years, we have used epitope-YSFKPMPLaR vaccine constructs to immunize rats, hamsters, rabbits, and cattle to a wide variety of B cell epitopes of various lengths (8 to 35 residues) and chemical modifications such as phospho-Tyr/Ser/Thr-containing epitopes. In all cases, immunizations were performed with the epitope-YSFK-PMPLaR construct dissolved merely in unbuffered or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) via simple subcutaneous and/or intraperitoneal injections. 

Generation ofAg-Specific Cell-Mediated Responses 

BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with 50-lOO Lg of the above constructs dissolved only in 100j.tl of sterile PBS and were boosted at 21-day intervals. Spleen cells were harvested, incubated with 150nM of the HBsAg CTL 

Although this mechanism of action for the molecular adjuvant still needs to be effectively characterized and is a major focus of research in our laboratory, it may suggest a novel pathway of exogenous MHC class I Ag presentation such 

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