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Immune response of male baboons to testis-specific LDH-C(4)
E Goldberg1, J L VandeBerg, M C Mahony
1Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Northwestern, University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. erv@nwu.edu
Four sexually mature male baboons (Papio sp.) were immunized with a chimeric peptide containing a B-cell epitope of the testis-specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C(4)) and a promiscuous T-cell epitope of tetanus toxin. LDH-C(4) is the testis-specific isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase, and antibodies to this protein reduce fertility significantly in female nonhuman primates. Animals were immunized on Day 0 and received booster injections at Days 29, 61, and 344 after priming. Serum specific antibodies were determined at regular intervals during the initial 6 months and after the last booster. Testis biopsies were taken at Days 61, 127, and 183 after the primary immunization. Sperm-zona binding was assessed prior to and three times after the last booster. The present study demonstrated that this epitope of LDH-C(4) did not cause autoimmune disease and that sperm from these immunized males had a diminished zona binding capacity. These results suggest that a safe male immunocontraceptive based on development of anti-sperm antibodies may be feasible.
Four sexually mature male baboons (Papio sp.) were immunized with a chimeric peptide containing a B-cell epitope of the testis-specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C(4)) and a promiscuous T-cell epitope of tetanus toxin. LDH-C(4) is the testis-specific isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase, and antibodies to this protein reduce fertility significantly in female nonhuman primates. Animals were immunized on Day 0 and received booster injections at Days 29, 61, and 344 after priming. Serum specific antibodies were determined at regular intervals during the initial 6 months and after the last booster. Testis biopsies were taken at Days 61, 127, and 183 after the primary immunization. Sperm-zona binding was assessed prior to and three times after the last booster. The present study demonstrated that this epitope of LDH-C(4) did not cause autoimmune disease and that sperm from these immunized males had a diminished zona binding capacity. These results suggest that a safe male immunocontraceptive based on development of anti-sperm antibodies may be feasible.
