Definition

A 19 amino-acid hybrid peptide antigen with immune adjuvant property. OVA-BiP peptide consists of 8 amino acids from ovalbumin joined via a tripeptide linker to a stretch of 8 amino acids, the minimum binding domain of BiP (immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein, aka grp78), a member of the heat shock protein (hsp) 70 family. As a chaperon, BiP binds to newly synthesized, unfolded mu immnoglobulin heavy chains prior to its assembly with light chains in the endoplasmic reticulum. In conjunction with a tumor antigen, this hybrid peptide is used to potentiate antigen presentation and consequently prime cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses.