We have designed and synthesized two analogs (5 and 6) of QS-7, a natural saponin compound isolated from Quillaja saponaria (QS) Molina tree bark. The only structural difference between compound 5 and 6 is that 5 is acetylated at the 3- and 4-O positions of the quillaic acid C28 fucosyl unit while 6 is not. However, the two analogs show significantly different immunostimulant profiles. Compound 5 may potentiate a mixed Th1/Th2 (Th, T helper cells) immune response against the specific antigens while compound 6 may only induce a Th2-biased immunity. These results suggest that the 3- and/or 4-O acetyl groups of the fucosyl unit may play an important role in tuning the adjuvanticity of the QS-7 analogs, and compound 5 can serve as a structurally defined synthetic adjuvant when a mixed Th1/Th2 immune responses is desired.
Keywords: QS-7; adjuvant; immunostimulant; saponin; vaccine.