Infertility induced in rats by immunization with synthetic peptide segments of a sperm protein.
Three peptide segments (YAL-198, YAL-201 and YAL-212) corresponding to the extracellular domain of a human sperm protein designated as YWK-II antigen were synthesized as multiple antigen peptide (MAP). Male and female rats were immunized with the YWK-II-MAPs and fertility determined. In a group of 12 female rats immunized with YAL-198, seven animals were infertile and two animals were subfertile. When immunized with YAL-201 and YAL-212, 4 and 2 animals were infertile, respectively. In a group of 15 males immunized with YAL-198, 2 animals were infertile and 6 were subfertile. Two animals immunized with YAL-201 were subfertile. All control male and female rats immunized with bovine serum albumin and adjuvant were fertile. Sera obtained from infertile rats immunized with YAL-198 contained higher titers of antibodies compared to those obtained from fertile animals. The present study shows that immunization with synthetic peptide segments of a sperm protein can effectively reduce fertility.
Vanage
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Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, New York 10021.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007246:Infertility / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats
C489697:APLP1 protein, human; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; C498283:Aplp2 protein, rat; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments