So H S, Yoon H S, Choi D Y, Kwon Y S, Sung J H, Lee T G, Park E S, Cho H S, Lee B M, Cho J M, Ryu W S
Biotech Research Institute, LG Chemical Limited/Research Park, Taejon, Korea.
Mol Cells. 1997 Apr 30;7(2):178-86.
Adjuvant activity of saponins extracted from the South American tree Quillaja saponaria has been demonstrated with many antigens. Recently, four saponin fractions (designated as QS-7, QS-17, QS-18, and QS-21) with adjuvant activity were purified by reverse phase chromatography. In particular, efficacy of the less toxic QS-21 fraction has been demonstrated with several recombinant viral antigens including HIV gp120. Here, we report a novel saponin fraction (designated as QS-L1) derived from Quillaja saponaria. Unlike previously identified saponins, QS-L1 had a different chemical structure and showed adjuvant activity only when administered in the presence of alum-precipitated antigen. Interestingly, the QS-L1 greatly increased not only a humoral immune response but also cellular immune response to recombinant hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Furthermore, QS-L1 showed lower toxicity in vivo and in vitro than the previously identified saponin fraction, QS-21. Finally, we examined the chemical structure of the QS-L1 using mass spectroscopic analysis, carbohydrate composition analysis and NMR spectroscopic analysis. Thus, our results indicated that this novel QS-L1 saponin fraction had several desirable properties required for an effective adjuvant.
从南美皂树（Quillaja saponaria）中提取的皂苷的佐剂活性已在多种抗原上得到证实。最近，通过反相色谱法纯化了四种具有佐剂活性的皂苷组分（分别命名为QS - 7、QS - 17、QS - 18和QS - 21）。特别地，毒性较小的QS - 21组分对包括HIV gp120在内的几种重组病毒抗原已显示出有效性。在此，我们报道了一种源自南美皂树的新型皂苷组分（命名为QS - L1）。与先前鉴定的皂苷不同，QS - L1具有不同的化学结构，并且仅在与明矾沉淀抗原一起给药时才显示佐剂活性。有趣的是，QS - L1不仅极大地增强了对重组乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原（HBsAg）的体液免疫反应，还增强了细胞免疫反应。此外，QS - L1在体内和体外显示出比先前鉴定的皂苷组分QS - 21更低的毒性。最后，我们使用质谱分析、碳水化合物组成分析和核磁共振光谱分析来研究QS - L1的化学结构。因此，我们的结果表明，这种新型的QS - L1皂苷组分具有有效佐剂所需的几种理想特性。
