Lack of tuberculin activity of synthetic peptides.

We synthesized an octapeptide, H-Asp-Gly-Gly-Ser-Glu-Ser-Glu-Gly-OH, and a hexadecapeptide, H-Asp-Gly-Gly-Ser-Glu-Ser-Glu-Gly-Lys-Asn-Gly-Ser-Gln-Met-Arg-Leu-OH, which corresponded to amino acids 61 to 68 and 61 to 76, respectively, of the amino acid sequence of a crystalline protein reported to be tuberculin active. Authenticity and purity of the synthesized peptides were confirmed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, amino acid analysis, mass spectrometry, and protein sequencer analysis. Tuberculin activity of the synthesized peptides was examined in guinea pigs sensitized with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis BCG and in tuberculin-positive healthy humans. Neither the octa- nor the hexadecapeptide was as active as tuberculin skin-test antigen.