Stimulation of chemiluminescence by synthetic muramyl dipeptide and analogs.

The effect on respiratory burst of murine splenic cells after in vitro exposure to synthetic muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and 6-O-acyl and quinonyl derivatives was studied at an early phase of interaction by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) in response to stimulation by zymosan. The MDP molecule enhanced CL, but the degree of CL response varied with the kinds of fatty acids introduced in the chemical structure of synthetic glycopeptide analogs. A 6-O-acyl derivative possessing an alpha-branched fatty acid chain, B30-MDP, stimulated maximum levels of CL activity. High CL responses were obtained with L8-MDP having a short chain of linear fatty acids and with QS-10-MDP-66 containing a ubiquinone compound. CL was also stimulated by MDP and its analogs in the spleen cells of nude mice lacking mature T lymphocytes, but the extent of stimulation was decreased compared with that of normal spleen cells.     

Activation of mouse peritoneal adherent cells with N-acyl muramyl dipeptide derivatives.

The effect of N-acyl derivatives of muramyl dipeptide (N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine) on the activation of peritoneal adherent cells (PAC) in vivo and on the stimulation of nonspecific host resistance against Escherichia coli infection was examined in comparison with the effect of 6-O-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide. N-acyl muramyl dipeptide derivatives increased the release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by PAC from mice treated 1 day before upon stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate, and their activities did not depend on the chain length or kinds of fatty acids introduced. The results obtained using N-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide analogs indicated that the acyl moiety combined to muramic acid played a more important role in the ability of PAC to release H2O2 than did the peptide moiety. PAC from mice treated with N-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide, N-(3-hydroxy-2-docosylhexacosanoyl) muramyl dipeptide, and 6-O-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide 1 day before, including 20 to 42% polymorphonuclear leukocytes, released large amount of H2O2, and most of the H2O2 released was due to the attribution of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The cytostatic activity of PAC from mice treated with these three compounds reached a maximum on day 3 after injection, and the cytolytic activity of PAC was induced by N-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide on day 3 and by 6-O-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide on day 1 after injection. In contrast to the above results, N-acyl muramyl dipeptide derivatives did not stimulate nonspecific host resistance against E. coli infection in mice when compared to 6-O-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide.     

Adjuvant activity of 6-O-acyl-muramyldipeptides to enhance primary cellular and humoral immune responses in guinea pigs: adaptability to various vehicles and pyrogenicity.

Thirteen 6-O-acyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamines (6-O-acyl-MDPs), including four inactive D-isoasparagine and L-isoglutamine analogs, were tested for their pyrogenicity and immunopotentiating activity to stimulate primary humoral and cellular immune responses in guinea pigs to a model protein antigen, ovalbumin, when administered in various vehicles. Among them, derivatives whose muramic acid residue was substituted by alpha-branched (and beta-hydroxylated) higher fatty acids at the carbon-6 position, especially 6-O-(2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl)-MDP (B3O-MDP) and, to a lesser extent, 6-O-(3-hydroxy-2-docosylhexacosanoyl)-MDP (BH48-MDP) and its L-serine analog [BH48-MDP(L-Ser)], were found to exert strong adjuvant activity in both the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and the stimulation of circulating precipitating antibody levels when combined with nonirritating vehicles (liposomes, squalene-in-water emulsion, and phosphate-buffered saline). These vehicles did not efficiently support the adjuvant activity of MDP, the parent molecule of the above lipophilic derivatives. Pyrogenicity tests showed that introduction of alpha-branched higher fatty acid groups but not of straight, long-chain fatty acids at the 6-position of the muramic acid residue resulted in marked decrease of the pyrogenicity inherent to MDP via intravenous administration.     

Stimulation of chemiluminescence and resistance against aerogenic influenza virus infection by synthetic muramyl dipeptide combined with trehalose dimycolate.

The effect on respiratory burst of splenic cells from mice pretreated with oil-in-water emulsions of muramyl dipeptide (MDP), trehalose dimycolate (TDM), or the combination of MDP with TDM was studied by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence in response to stimulation by zymosan. Spleen cells from mice pretreated with TDM, but not those of mice treated with MDP, generated increased chemiluminescence. Spleen cells from animals pretreated with the combination of MDP and TDM exhibited markedly enhanced chemiluminescence activity. The effect of enhanced activity of preparations containing MDP combined with TDM was further examined in vivo by an aerosol infection of pretreated mice with a mouse-pathogenic influenza virus. Pretreatment with 6-O-acyl analogs and one ubiquinone derivative of MDP alone did not induce any resistance against influenza virus. Significant protection was conferred only when MDP and certain analogs were combined with TDM. The enhancement of nonspecific resistance to influenza virus infection was related to the chemical structure of the synthetic immunostimulant. A greater degree of protection was induced by the combination of TDM with the lipophilic derivatives like B 30-MDP and L-18 MDP.     

Granuloma formation by muramyl dipeptide associated with branched fatty acids, a structure probably essential for tubercle formation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Muramyl dipeptide, which does not induce epithelioid granuloma when injected alone dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline, could induce extensive granulomas in guinea pigs when chemically conjugated with branched, but not linear, fatty acids. Peptidoglycan fragments of Staphylococcus epidermidis could evoke epithelioid granulomas when incorporated in a water-in-oil emulsion. These findings suggest the importance of a lipid bound to muramyl dipeptide for granuloma formation. In view of the fact that mycobacteria uniquely contain large amounts of branched fatty acids, it was proposed that the complex of muramyl dipeptide and branched fatty acids, mostly mycolic acids, is a structure in tubercle bacilli responsible for tubercle formation.     

Marked enhancement in vivo of adjuvant activity of muramyl dipeptide to protein antigens and to synthetic weak immunogens with monoclonal anti-muramyl dipeptide antibodies.

Priming of mice with complexes of antigen coupled to muramyl dipeptide and monoclonal anti-muramyl dipeptide antibodies enhanced the adjuvant activity of muramyl dipeptide on the humoral response to the antigen. The enhancement did not occur with free (uncoupled) muramyl dipeptide and required the presence of an adjuvant-active hapten within the complex as well as the Fc fragment of the monoclonal antibody. This system proved highly effective in eliciting antibodies to synthetic weak immunogens whereas muramyl dipeptide, on its own, exerts very little or no adjuvant activity. The effect was not due to a general polyclonal activation and was restricted to the antigen coupled to the synthetic adjuvant. Possible pathways involved in this phenomenon are discussed.     

Enhancement by muramyl peptides of the protective response of interferon-α/β against encephalomyocarditis virus infection

The use of interferon-α (IFN-α) in the treatment of infectious diseases has shown limited efficacy and dose-limiting toxicity. We have selected safe immunomodulators of the muramyl peptide family with the potential of enhancing the efficacy of IFN-α without resulting in increased toxicity. One of these synthetic muramyl dipeptide (MDP) derivatives, namely murabutide which is in a clinical stage of development, has been recently found to synergize with IFN-α2a in the selective induction of anti-inflammatory mediators and to enhance the biological activities of the therapeutic cytokine. The present study was performed to assess the antiviral activity of such muramyl peptides and a possible potentiation of the antiviral activity of IFN-α/β by associated therapy using the classical assay of Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection. In vitro, pretreatment of Moloney Sarcoma virus (MSV)-transformed cell line with MDP derivatives followed by treatment with IFN-α/β showed a synergistic protection against the cytopathogenic effect of a subsequent EMCV infection. None of the MSV cultures could be protected by stimulation with muramyl peptides alone. In vivo, all of the muramyl peptide derivatives tested were found to be more potent than the parent molecule MDP in inducing protection against death or in the prolongation of the mean survival time of infected mice. Sequential administration of suboptimal doses of exogenous IFN-α/β and muramyl peptides established a strong antiviral state and considerably improved the protective effect of the cytokine, frequently leading to an abortive infection. Our findings suggest that combination therapy with safe muramyl peptides and IFN-α/β could constitute a highly effective and new regimen for the treatment of viral infections in humans.     

Structural characteristics of peptidoglycan fragments required to prime mice for induction of anaphylactoid reactions by lipopolysaccharides.

Structural characteristics of peptidoglycan fragments required to prime mice for the induction of anaphylactoid reactions by Salmonella abortusequi lipopolysaccharide were examined in endotoxin-resistant C3H/HeJ mice, with special focus on the disaccharide-pentapeptide [N-acetylglucosaminyl-beta(1-4)-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D -isoglutaminyl-meso-2,6-diaminopimelyl (DAP)-D-alanyl-D -alanine] and its smaller partial derivatives. The bacterial and synthetic muramyl tripeptides (DAP- and lysine [Lys]-type, respectively) and synthetic muramyl dipeptide primed mice for induction of anaphylactoid reactions accompanied by death within 1 h. The disaccharide-tripeptide exhibited weaker activity, and the disaccharide-tetrapeptide and muramyl tetrapeptide exhibited marginal activity. In contrast, intact peptidoglycans of various bacteria and the disaccharide-pentapeptide lacked the priming activity, although they showed adjuvant activity similar to that of the above components.     

Anti-infectious activity of liposomal muramyl dipeptides in immunodeficient CBA/N mice

Two muramyl dipeptides, N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine and its adjuvant-inactive isomer N-acetylmuramyl-D-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, were examined for their ability to protect mice carrying the CBA/N immune deficiency gene (xid) against lethal bacterial challenge. Prophylactic treatment with N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-d-isoglutamine gave significant protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, and Salmonella enteritidis infection. N-Acetylmuramyl-D-alanyl-D-isoglutamine was unable to confer protection. Incorporation of the lipophilic glycerol dipalmitate derivatives of the two muramyl dipeptides within liposomal carriers resulted in a significant enhancement of anti-infectious activity, both with respect to number of survivors and length of survival. Liposomal muramyl dipeptides were 10- to 15-fold more potent than free muramyl dipeptide; enhanced potency was most evident with N-acetylmuramyl-D-alanyl-D-isoglutamine. Prophylactic treatment with liposomes containing the lipophilic muramyl dipeptides resulted in enhanced clearance of bacteria from the blood (greater than 3-fold increase in rate) when compared with that of hydrosoluble N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, indicating a correlation between reticuloendothelial stimulation and anti-infectious activity.     

Effect of Cycloalkyl Glycosides of Muramyl Dipeptide on Antibacterial Resistance of Mice and Cytokine Production by Human Mononuclear Cells

β-Cyclohexylmethyl-, β-cyclohexylethyl-, and β-4-tert-butyl-cyclohexyl glycosides of muramyl dipeptide were shown to increase the resistance of mice to intraperitoneal infection with cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These compounds increased the production of cytokines by mononuclear cells from healthy donors. β-Cyclohexylethyl glycoside of muramyl dipeptide was more potent than muramyl dipeptide and other derivatives in increasing in vivo antibacterial resistance and in vitro production of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ. This glycopeptide had a strong stimulatory effect on the production of interleukin-4 and tended to stimulate the synthesis of interferon-α. β-Cyclohexylmethyl glycoside of muramyl dipeptide was most potent in stimulating the production of interleukin-4. Biological activity of β-4-tert-butyl-cyclohexyl glycoside of muramyl dipeptide was lower than that of other glycosides of muramyl dipeptide.     

Macrophage activation by bacterial cell walls and related synthetic compounds.

Activation of peritoneal macrophages from guinea pigs by various bacterial cell walls, M-1 endo-N-acetylmuramidase enzymatically digested bacterial cell walls and synthetic muramyl dipeptides was studied in terms of stimulation of [14C] glucosamine incorporation. All test bacterial cell wall preparations significantly increased a [14C]glucosamine uptake by the macrophages. Some of the water-soluble M-1 enzyme digests also exerted stimulating effects on macrophages, although the activity of the digests was found to be weaker than those of original cell walls. Furthermore, an adjuvant-active synthetic MurNAc-L-Ala-D-isoGln (MDP) showed a weak but significant activity, whereas an adjuvant-inactive analog, MurNAc-L-Ala-L-iso-Gln, did not show a significant activity, at least with the dose of 100 microgram. Additional studies with 6-O-acyl derivatives of MDP revealed that 6-O-(2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl)-MDP and 6-O-(3-hydroxy-2-tetradecyl-octadecanoyl)-MDP exhibit stronger macrophage-stimulating effects than MDP. It can be concluded from the above findings that MDP is the essential structure responsible for stimulating the activity of cell walls on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages, but it requires a particle state, which results from an additive character of lipophilicity, to exert the activity fully and effectively.     

Correlation between in vivo anti-Pseudomonas and anti-Candida activities and clearance of carbon by the reticuloendothelial system for various muramyl dipeptide analogs, using normal and immunosuppressed mice.

A linear correlation coefficient analysis, comparing in vivo anti-infective and reticuloendothelial stimulating activity of several different analogs of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (muramyl dipeptide) suggests that the macrophage is an important target cell for these immunomodulating compounds. The increase in protection against infections of Candida albicans or Pseudomonas aeruginosa in normal or immunosuppressed mice after treatment with 18 different glycopeptides was found to correlate with the degree of clearance of colloidal carbon particles from the blood by the reticuloendothelial system after treatment with the same muramyl dipeptide analogs. The compound which gave the greatest protection in all four assays was N-acetylmuramyl-L-alpha-aminobutyryl-D-isoglutamine followed by N-acetyl-nor-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine. Both analogs were better than the parent muramyl dipeptide. Whether macrophage stimulation alone is responsible for the anti-infective properties of these compounds has not yet been determined.     

Effects of muramyl dipeptide on superoxide anion release and on anti-microbial activity of human macrophages.

Exposure of human monocyte derived macrophages to muramyl dipeptide in vitro increased phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated O2- release by these cells; the activity of such macrophages against Toxoplasma gondii or against Staphylococcus aureus was not increased. The failure of muramyl dipeptide to enhance human macrophage anti-microbial activity correlated with the failure of muramyl dipeptide to enhance O2- release in response to phagocytic stimuli. These results and those previously published by others indicate that muramyl dipeptide may enhance release of certain inflammatory mediators (O2- and endogenous pyrogen) without enhancing the anti-microbial activity of human macrophages.     

Liposomes containing muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE) are excellent adjuvants for induction of an immune response to protein and tumor antigens.

Liposomes containing the synthetic lipophilic analog of muramyl dipeptide, muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE), were used as adjuvants for the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses following immunization with protein or tumor antigens. Cellular immune reactions, including delayed-type hypersensitivity and lymphoproliferation in vitro, were observed following immunization of mice with a mixture of antigen and liposome-MTP-PE. Immunization with murine melanoma K1735 cells, admixed with liposomal MTP-PE, induced a protective immune response as demonstrated by the rejection of transplanted tumor cells. Antibody production was also induced following immunization with protein antigens admixed with liposome-MTP-PE. The efficacy of adjuvant activity following immunization with antigens admixed with liposome-MTP-PE was equal to or better than that of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Moreover, liposome-MTP-PE did not have the toxic side effects associated with CFA. These data suggest that phospholipid liposomes containing MTP-PE are superior adjuvants and should receive consideration for vaccine therapy.     

Adjuvant activity of synthetic 6-O-"mycoloyl"-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine and related compounds.

Adjuvant and antitumor activities of synthetic 6-O-"mycoloyl"-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine were examined. All the synthetic 6-O-corynomycoloyl-, 6-O-mocardomycoloyl-, and 6-O-mycoloyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine were active as adjuvants for cell-mediated immune responses. However, 6-O-mycoloyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine was less active as an adjuvant on circulating antibody formation. It was shown that pyrogenic activity of N-acetylmuramyldipeptide was reduced by 6-O-acylation with mycolic acid, but not with nocardomycolic or corynomycolic acid. Tumor-suppression activity was observed by the synthetic 6-O-mycoloyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine by using transplantable tumor in syngenic mice.     

Persistent enhancement of cell-mediated and antibody immune responses after administration of muramyl dipeptide derivatives with antigen in metabolizable oil.

Circulating antibody titers can be increased when the antigen is administered in an aqueous medium with N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (muramyl dipeptide). Results reported here show that cell-mediated immunity can be demonstrated when this synthetic adjuvant or an active analog is injected with an antigen (ovalbumin) in metabolizable squalane emulsion. Under these conditions a lipophilic derivative of muramyl dipeptide was shown to be even more active and to enhance long-lasting immune responses.     

Comparative Study of Immunomodulatory Properties of Muramyl Peptides On Immune System Cells of Yg and Old Mice

The immunomodulatory effects of two synthetic muramyl peptides (MP): muramyl dipeptide and glucosaminyl- muramyl dipeptide have been compared. It was shown, that MP effects on immune response are a consequence of the alteration in T lymphocyte regulators balance. MP action on old mice immune response and lymphocyte function was stimulating only: increasing of T helper precursors frequency and IL-1 production by macrophages. In the latter both MPs acted as correctors, recovering the decreased IL-1 production by old mice macrophages to young control level.     

Effectiveness of natural and synthetic complexes of porin and O polysaccharide as vaccines against Brucella abortus in mice.

A single vaccination of mice with a complex of porin and smooth lipopolysaccharide (porin-S-LPS) extracted from virulent Brucella abortus 2308 provided significant protection (P less than 0.01 to P less than 0.001) against challenge with the same strain, equivalent to that achieved by vaccination with living attenuated B. abortus 19. The porin-S-LPS vaccine given without adjuvant or in several adjuvants (trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide; the pluronic polymer L-121 and muramyl dipeptide; or complexed with Quil A in immunostimulating complexes) provided equivalent protection. In contrast, one vaccination with porin complexed with rough LPS (porin-R-LPS) from a rough mutant of strain 2308 provided no protection with any adjuvant tested. In one experiment, two inoculations with the porin-R-LPS resulted in a low level of protection, probably owing to priming of the animals for production of O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies. However, one vaccination with rough-strain porin covalently bound to purified O polysaccharide conferred protection equal to that obtained with natural complexes of porin-S-LPS or with living strain 19. A synthetic vaccine containing long chains of O polysaccharide was more effective than one prepared with short chains. Protective vaccines caused the formation of increased concentrations of circulating O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies, although there were individual exceptions to the quantitative association between O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies and protection. Antibodies specific for porin or R-LPS were found in negligible quantities in vaccinated mice. These results provide additional evidence that the O polysaccharide will constitute an essential component of an effective subcellular vaccine against B. abortus and that O-polysaccharide-specific antibodies play an important role in protective immunity in brucellosis.     

Opposite effects of the synthetic immunomodulator, muramyl dipeptide, on rejection of mouse skin allografts

The influence of muramyl dipeptide (N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine) on the rejection of mouse skin allografts was investigated. While the 0.1-mg dose administered on days 7, 6, 5 prior to transplantation caused significant prolongation of the graft survival, the 0.5-mg dose administered on days 3, 2, 1 prior to transplantation resulted in remarkable augmentation of the graft rejection. The present results support the view that muramyl dipeptide can induce both stimulatory and suppressive immune mechanisms, depending on the treatment regimen.     

High-performance liquid chromatography patterns of Mycobacterium gordonae mycolic acids.

An important class of fatty acids contained in the cell envelopes of Mycobacterium organisms is the group of high-molecular-weight, long-chain, alpha-branched, beta-hydroxylated mycolic acids. By using standard saponification techniques and derivatization of the acids to their p-bromophenacyl esters, it is possible to differentiate them by high-performance liquid chromatography. Mycolic acid chromatograms of 63 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium gordonae were compared with conventional biochemical methods for identification. The data show two distinct pattern types for this species, only one of which has been elaborated in the literature by using this protocol. Laboratory workers who intend to use this method as a clinical tool need to be aware that these two pattern types exist.