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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1979 Dec;76(12):6557–6561. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.12.6557

Enhancement of certain biological activities of muramyl dipeptide derivatives after conjugation to a multi-poly(DL-alanine)--poly(L-lysine) carrier.

L Chedid, M Parant, F Parant, F Audibert, F Lefrancier, J Choay, M Sela
PMCID: PMC411905  PMID: 293743

Abstract

N-Acetylmuramyl-L-Ala-D-Glu-NH2 (muramyl dipeptide) and several of its derivatives are effective immunoactivators that can enhance nonspecific resistance to infection but can also elicit fever. In contrast, one of its stereoisomers, N-acetylmuramyl-D-Ala-D-Glu-NH2, is devoid of both these activities. Our present report demonstrates that macromolecularization of muramyl dipeptide by attachment of several units to a multi-poly(DL-Ala)-poly(L-Lys) carrier potentiates both its pyrogenic and its immunostimulant activity. This branched polymer has been extensively used as carrier to various haptens. Surprisingly, inactive N-acetylmuramyl-D-Ala-D-Glu-NH2, after conjugation under the same conditions, becomes capable of increasing nonspecific immunity although its lack of pyrogenicity is not greatly modified. Moreover, the N-acetylmuramyl-D-Ala-D-Glu--NH2 conjugate remains devoid of adjuvant, sensitizing, or eliciting activity.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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