Abstract: The present invention is an antigen-and-drug (AD) vehicle and a mucosal vaccine utilizing a novel synthetic peptide. The antigen-and-drug (AD) vehicle is capable of inducing the production of secretory IgA antibodies, and is a complex of a synthetic peptide having the following amino acid sequence: PVHLKRLm (e.g., peptide of SEQ ID NO 1, 6, or 7) or KnLm (e.g., peptide of SEQ ID NO 2, 3, or 8), and a lipid(s). The mucosal vaccine is obtainable by allowing a mucosal-immunity-IgA-inducing amount of an antigen to coexist with, contact, be captured by, or be adsorbed onto the AD vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed are an antigen-and-drug (AD) vehicle and a mucosal vaccine utilizing a novel synthetic peptide. The antigen-and-drug (AD) vehicle capable of inducing the production of secretory IgA antibodies, which is a complex of a synthetic peptide having the following amino acid sequence: PVHLKRLm (m is 11 to 15 or 16 to 20, e.g., peptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 1) or KnLm (n is 4 to 8 and m is 11 to 20, e.g., peptide of SEQ. ID. NO: 2 or 3), and a lipid(s). The mucosal vaccine is obtainable by allowing a mucosal-immunity-IgA-inducing amount of an antigen to coexist with, contact, be captured by, or be adsorbed onto the AD vehicle.

Abstract: Synthetic peptides containing the following specific sequence:Xaa-Pro-Val-Xbb-Xcc-Lys-Arg-W (wherein Xaa is absent or represents Cys or Ser, Xbb represents His or Asn, Xcc represents Leu or Ile and W represents a hydrophobic peptide portion.), an intermediate for producing the peptide, a process for producing the peptide, a lung surfactant comprising the peptide and a lipid mixture and a remedy for respiratory distress syndrome containing the surfactant as the active ingredient. The peptide is easy to isolate and purify and suitable for mass production. As it is highly soluble in methanol and the like, it can readily be blended with a lipid mixture and is suited for the preparation of a lung surfactant. As the lung surfactant has a good supensibility and a potent surface activity, it is useful as a remedy for respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a purification method for hydrophobic polypeptides by using high performance liquid chromatography, characterized by using a mixed solvent as a moving phase, in which the portion of trifluoroacetic acid is from 3 to 10% by volume, and polyvinyl alcohol-based column filler in the said high performance liquid chromatography. The method according to the present invention is useful as a purification method for hydrophobic polypeptides in view of the fact that the pulmonary surfactant, which is prepared from the hydrophobic polypeptide purified according to the method of the present invention, shows better surface active property than the hydrophobic polypeptides purified by customary methods for the purification.

Abstract: A surfactant having the capacity of reducing the surface tension in pulmonary alveoli significantly is provided. The surfactant consists essentially of, based on the total weight of the surfactant, 50.6-85.0% of a chlorine phosphogylceride, 4.5-37.6% of an acid phospholipid, 4.6-24.6% of a fatty acid or its analogue and 0.1-10.0% of a lipoprotein derived from the lung of a mammal. These components cooperate to form a kind of film at a gas-liquid interface within pulmonary alveoli and reduce the surface tension. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the surfactant is useable for the clinical treatment of respiratory distress syndrome.