The possibility of preventing
infectious diseases by employing efficacious
vaccine is rapidly growing as a consequence of the new technologies in
recombinant DNA and
protein chemistry. However, the increasing number of synthetic and recombinant
antigens further stresses the role of appropriate adjuvants to ensure maximal
vaccine activity and the protection of all vaccinees. Several approaches can be applied to develop safe and effective agents capable of enhancing specific immune responses which can then protect the host from the pathogen. Among others, the direct use as adjuvant of those
cytokines which are induced in animals by the classical Freund's adjuvants has recently become a matter of investigation. In particular,
interleukin 1 (IL-1) has been shown to possess adjuvant activity for a variety of infectious and tumour
antigens. However, the numerous side effects associated with the proinflammatory action of
IL-1 represent a serious disadvantage for its use as a
vaccine adjuvant. It was therefore of great interest that a nonpeptide contained in the
IL-1 beta sequence (residues 163-171 corresponding to the sequence VQGEESNDK) is devoid of all proinflammatory activities but maintains the immunostimulating activity of the whole
IL-1 beta. Thus,
peptide 163-171 was successfully employed in animals to potentiate the specific immune response against T-helper-dependent cellular
antigens, T helper-independent polysaccharidic
antigens and recombinant as well as synthetic antigenic preparations derived from human pathogens. Furthermore,
IL-1 and
peptide 163-171 have been successfully used in tumour
vaccines in experimental systems. It can therefore be concluded that
peptide 163-171 is potentially a good candidate as
vaccine adjuvant for human use.