Feasibility and challenges in the development of immunocontraceptive vaccine based on zona pellucida glycoproteins

The zona pellucida (ZP) glycoproteins play a crucial role during fertilization and thus are considered as important target antigens for the development of immunocontraceptive vaccines aiming to inhibit fertility at a pre-fertilization stage. In order to evaluate the immunocontraceptive potential of ZP glycoproteins, bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata) ZP2, ZP3 and ZP4 have been cloned and expressed using either E. coli or baculovirus expression systems. Active immunization studies with the recombinant ZP glycoproteins in female baboons (Papio anubis) and bonnet monkeys revealed curtailment of fertility. In order to minimize the ovarian pathology, synthetic peptides corresponding to B cell epitopes that are devoid of 'oophoritogenic' T cell epitopes were designed and their in vitro immunocontraceptive potential explored. There are several issues that need to be addressed before ZP glycoproteins based immunocontraceptive vaccines become feasible for use in humans. Nonetheless, the utility of such a vaccine is imminent for controlling wild life population. In this direction, active immunization of female non-descript dogs with recombinant canine ZP3 conjugated to diphtheria toxoid led to curtailment of fertility. Further, canine ZP3 has also been expressed in insect cells as a fusion protein with rabies virus glycoprotein G (RV-G), an antigen that is involved in providing protection against rabies. The immunogenicity of such a recombinant protein and its potential to curtail fertility was explored both in female mice and dogs. Simultaneously, DNA vaccine encoding canine ZP3 and RV-G have been made and evaluated for their immunogenicity. The results obtained so far, current shortcomings and the possible ways to circumvent these have been discussed in the present manuscript.