Antigen-specific, IgE-selective unresponsiveness induced by antigen-liposome conjugates. Comparison of four different conjugation methods for the coupling of antigen to liposome.

Y Nakano, M Mori, S Nishinohara, Y Takita, S Naito, A Horino, H Kato, M Taneichi, Y Ami, Y Suzaki, K Komuro, T Uchida

Index: Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. 120(3) , 199-208, (1999)

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Abstract

We have previously reported that ovalbumin (OVA) coupled with liposome via glutaraldehyde (GA) induced OVA-specific- and IgE-selective unresponsiveness in mice.In this study, OVA-liposome conjugates were made using four different coupling protocols: via GA, N-(6-maleimidocaproyloxy) succinimide (EMCS), disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS) and N-succimidyl-3(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) and the induction of antigen-specific IgG and IgE antibody production was investigated for each. In addition, antigen-specific cytokine production by spleen cells of mice immunized either with OVA-liposome or with OVA adsorbed with aluminum hydroxide was investigated.OVA-liposome conjugates coupled via GA or DSS did not induce anti-OVA IgE antibody production but induced substantial anti-OVA IgG antibody production. On the other hand, the induction of anti-OVA IgE unresponsiveness by OVA-liposome conjugates coupled via EMCS or SPDP was incomplete. The amount of interleukin 4 (IL-4) produced by spleen cells stimulated in vitro with OVA correlated well with anti-OVA IgE antibody production in donor mice. However, the production of no other cytokine, i.e., IL-2, IL-5, IL-10 or interferon-gamma, was correlated with in vivo IgE antibody production.OVA-liposome coupled via GA or DSS induced complete suppression of anti-OVA IgE production. The results in this study further suggest that the regulation of IgE antibody production does not necessarily correlate with so-called Th1 cytokine production.