The supramolecular structure is decisive for the immunostimulatory properties of synthetic analogues of a mycobacterial lipid in vitro

Abstract

Identification of new vaccine adjuvants with immunopotentiating properties commonly involves in vitro evaluations of candidate compounds for their ability to stimulate cells of the immune system. Subsequent elaborate experiments are then performed on only the positive candidates. Here we show how this strategy may miss good candidates due to context-dependent supramolecular characteristics of the candidate compounds, since both a specific molecular structure and the correct presentation of specific parts of the compounds are required for successful stimulation of the cells. Nevertheless, the supramolecular structure is rarely evaluated although changes in this structure may have a drastic impact on the presentation of the compounds to the cells. Synthetic analogues of the mycobacterial cell wall lipid monomycoloyl glycerol (MMG) possess immunopotentiating properties, but their biophysical characteristics are largely unresolved and the structural features determining their immunoactivating properties have been poorly explored. In the present study, we demonstrate that the immunostimulatory activity in vitro correlates with the supramolecular characteristics of the self-assembled MMG nanostructures. Thus, a series of MMG analogues displaying different stereochemistry in the hydrophobic moiety and the polar headgroup were designed and synthesized with different alkyl chain lengths. Stimulation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells in vitro was clearly dependent on the stereochemistry of the hydrophobic part and on the alkyl chain length but not on the stereochemistry of the hydrophilic glycerol moiety. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis showed that the immunoactivating analogues self-assembled into lamellar phases whereas the biologically inert analogues adopted inverse hexagonal phases. Langmuir monolayers confirmed that analogues with opposite lipid acid configurations displayed different packing modes. These data demonstrate that the biophysical properties and the lipid molecular structure are major determinants for the ability of the MMG analogues to activate antigen-presenting cells. Our findings emphasize the importance of investigating the biophysical and structural properties when assessing the effect of adjuvants in vitro.