[Advances in researches on lactate dehydrogenase-C4 isozyme]

Lactate dehydrogenase-C4 isozyme has been widely studied as the sperm-specific antigen in the research of the contraceptive vaccine. Developmental and testis-specific expression of the LDH-C gene requires mechanisms for activation in germ cells and repression in somatic cells. LDH-C promoter, several transcription factors and methylation of CpG dinucleotides have been proved of governing action on LDH-C gene transcription. The strategy is to induce antibodies in the female reproductive tract against LDH-C antigens at a sufficient level to block fertilization. Chemically modified LDH-C4 offers a potential application in the induction of infertility of homologous species in marked contrast to native LDH-C4. In addition, advances are being made in researches on the male contraceptive vaccine and synthetic peptide immunocontraceptive.