Synthetic peptides: prospects for vaccine development.

There is great interest in the use of synthetic peptides for vaccine purposes. Chemical synthesis guarantees an unlimited source of chemically stable protein at relatively low cost. Additionally, synthetic peptide antigens have been demonstrated to immunize T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells, and B cells which are reactive with representative native protein antigens. However, a number of obstacles to the use of peptide antigens have also been elucidated. The purpose of this review is to examine our current understanding of peptide antigens as immunogens, and the advantages and disadvantages of their use in vaccine design.