title: Identification of human acrosomal antigen SP-10 in primates and pigs.
abstract: The intra-acrosomal human sperm protein SP-10 was previously designated a "primary vaccine candidate" by a World Health Organization Taskforce on Contraceptive Vaccines. In the present study, a monoclonal antibody to SP-10 (MHS-10) was employed on Western blots to identify immunoreactive SP-10 in sperm extracts from baboon (Papio cyanocephalus anubis) and two macaques (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis). In each of these primates, the MHS-10 monoclonal antibody recognized a polymorphic pattern of immunoreactive peptides similar to that in humans. Immunoreactive SP-10 was also demonstrated in pig sperm. Using purified preparations of the previously described intra-acrosomal molecules acrosin and sperminogen in the pig, we observed that the MHS-10 monoclonal antibody did not react with these proteins, indicating SP-10 is distinct from these known acrosomal components. Sperm from several common species including the rabbit, bull, rat, guinea pig and cat did not immunoreact with the MHS-10 monoclonal antibody. By use of a radioactive probe spanning 628 nucleotides of the open reading frame for SP-10 on Northern blots of poly A + RNA obtained from testes of Macaca fascicularis, Papio papio, and Papio cyanocephalus anubis, a 1.35-kb mRNA of identical size to the mRNA from human testes was identified. These results indicate that baboons, macaques, and pigs may be appropriate models for testing an SP-10-based contraceptive vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Herr
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kays
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Flickinger
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008251:Macaca / Q000276:immunology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis / Q000276:immunology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010215:Papio / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013552:Swine / Q000276:immunology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male; D014612:Vaccines