title: Reduction of fertility in female baboons immunized with lactate dehydrogenase C4.
abstract: Immunization of female rabbits and mice with the sperm-specific isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase, LDH-C4, significantly reduced their fertility. Similar studies have been extended to nonhuman primates. Two female baboons, immunized with human LDH-C4, produced low antibody titers. These titers were markedly enhanced by booster injections of murine LDH-C4. An additional seven female baboons responded with relatively high antibody titers after receiving murine LDH-C4 as both priming and booster dosages. All nine females received injections of murine LDH-C4 at varying times determined by serum titer levels during fertility studies. These antisera reacted with human, mouse, and baboon LDH-C4. In a series of breeding experiments, 22 of 30 matings, or 73%, were infertile as compared with 28% in control matings. This contraceptive effect of the vaccine containing LDH-C4 was related to antibody titer and was reversible. Normal pregnancies ensued in animals in which the titer declined after termination of booster injections of vaccine.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001947:Breeding; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010215:Papio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase