Adjuvant properties of montanide CSA 720 with a recombinant HIV P17 gag protein and synthetic peptide antigens

Abstract

The adjuvant properties of Montanide CSA 720 were assessed in a comparison with alum. BALB/c mice were immunized with recombinant HIV-1 gag protein p17 administered in either of the two adjuvants. The serum antibody response to p17 with Montanide CSA 720 appeared faster and reached a higher titre than with alum. The serum antibody response to p17 in Montanide CSA 720 was further characterized by a higher titre antibody directed against a 30 amino acid segment from the entire protein. The Montanide CSA 720 adjuvant was sufficiently strong to induce an antibody response against a weak synthetic peptide immunogen after two immunizations, while immunization with the peptide in alum generated no detectable serum antibody. The p17-specific proliferative response of splenocytes from animals immunized with recombinant protein in either adjuvant was similar.