REVIEW: Capsular Antigens of Bacteria. Capsular Antigens as the Basis of Vaccines against Pathogenic Bacteria

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Yu. S. Ovodov

Institute of Physiology, Komi Science Center, The Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Pervomaiskaya 50, 167982 Syktyvkar, Russia; fax: (8212) 241-001; E-mail: ovoys@physiol.komisc.ru

Received April 5, 2006; Revision received May 10, 2006

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The role of bacterial capsular antigens represented in capsular polysaccharides and exoglycans in pathogenicity and virulence of bacteria is discussed in this review. Using capsular antigens for vaccines against severe diseases caused by capsular microorganisms is considered in detail. The use of conjugates of capsular polysaccharides and their fragments with proteins and peptides for vaccine as well as using liposomes as adjuvants for the capsular antigens are described. Data concerning structural elucidation of bacterial capsular antigens are given in the first part of this review.

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KEY WORDS: capsular bacterial antigens, capsular polysaccharides, exoglycans, immunological activity, immunoadjuvants, vaccines, pathogenicity, virulence

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297906090021

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