Synergistic effect of detergents and aluminium phosphate on the humoral immune response to bacterial and viral membrane proteins.

The influence of detergents on the immunogenic activity of the major outer membrane protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was investigated. Most detergents tested were found to enhance the immune response. This effect was synergistic with the adjuvant activity of AlPO4. The combination of detergent and AlPO4 showed a stronger adjuvant activity than Freund's complete adjuvant. The adjuvant effect was only observed with protein preparations with very low lipopolysaccharide content. The immunostimulating effect of detergents was also observed with meningococcal group C polysaccharide conjugated to a Haemophilus influenzae type b outer membrane protein and with the fusion protein of measles virus. The influence of some detergent parameters (critical micelle concentration, hydrophile-lipophile balance, charge) was investigated.