Effect of the chemical structure of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymers on their ability to induce antibody formation in inbred strains of mice.

The homopolymer of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) and copolymers of HPMA differing in oligopeptide side chains (-Gly-Gly-OH; -Acap-Phe-OH; -Acap-Leu-HMDA and -Gly-Phe-Tyr-OH) or in their content (1%, 3.5% and 8.4% mole of -Gly-Gly-OH side chains) were investigated with respect to their ability to induce antibody formation and mitogenic reaction in inbred strains of mice. The dependence on the antigen dose, on composition of the side chain and on the genetic background of the immunized organism was defined. It was demonstrated that the specificity of the antibody formed is predominantly directed against oligopeptide side chains, though some part of the antibody is also produced against hydroxypropyl chains. Neither the homopolymer nor the copolymers behave in the tissue culture as mitogens.