AbstractThe development of potent adjuvants is an important step for improving the performance of subunit vaccines. CD1d agonists, such as the prototypical α‐galactosyl ceramide (α‐GalCer), are of special interest due to their ability to activate iNKT cells and trigger rapid dendritic cell maturation and B‐cell activation. Herein, we introduce a novel derivatization hotspot at the α‐GalCer skeleton, namely the N‐substituent at the amide bond. The multicomponent diversification of this previously unexplored glycolipid chemotype space permitted the introduction of a variety of extra functionalities that can either potentiate the adjuvant properties or serve as handles for further conjugation to antigens toward the development of self‐adjuvanting vaccines. This strategy led to the discovery of compounds eliciting enhanced antigen‐specific T cell stimulation and a higher antibody response when delivered by either the parenteral or the mucosal route, as compared to a known potent CD1d agonist. Notably, various functionalized α‐GalCer analogues showed a more potent adjuvant effect after intranasal immunization than a PEGylated α‐GalCer analogue previously optimized for this purpose. Ultimately, this work could open multiple avenues of opportunity for the use of mucosal vaccines against microbial infections.
摘要开发强效佐剂是提高亚单位疫苗性能的重要一步。CD1d激动剂,如典型的α-半乳糖基神经酰胺(α-GalCer),因其能激活iNKT细胞并引发树突状细胞快速成熟和B细胞活化而备受关注。在这里,我们介绍了α-GalCer 骨架上的一个新型衍生热点,即酰胺键上的 N-取代基。这种以前未曾探索过的糖脂化学型空间的多组分多样化允许引入各种额外的官能团,这些官能团既可以增强佐剂特性,也可以作为进一步与抗原共轭的处理剂,以开发自佐剂疫苗。通过这一策略,我们发现了一些化合物,与已知的强效 CD1d 激动剂相比,这些化合物在通过肠外或粘膜途径给药时能增强对抗原特异性 T 细胞的刺激并提高抗体反应。值得注意的是,在鼻内免疫后,各种官能化的α-GalCer类似物比以前为此目的优化过的PEG化α-GalCer类似物显示出更强的佐剂效应。最终,这项工作将为使用粘膜疫苗预防微生物感染开辟多种途径。