title: Sequence homology among sperm antigens involved in mammalian fertilization: search for a common epitope for immunocontraception.
abstract: Sequence homology was searched among the nine cDNAs/deduced amino acid sequences encoding for the eight fertilization-related sperm antigens: namely, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C4), galactosyltransferase (GT), SP-10, rabbit sperm autoantigen (RSA), guinea pig (g)PH-20, cleavage signal protein (CS-1), HSA-63, human (h)PH-20, and AgX-1, respectively. Most significant identity (> 50%) was found between HSA-63 and SP-10 (59.8%), and between gPH-20 and hPH-20 (61.1%); followed by identity between SP-10 and GT (34.7%); and then between AgX-1 and hPH-20 (39.4%). All others had identity < 25%. The significance of these sequence homologies among the sperm antigens in the development of an antisperm contraceptive vaccine is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Immunology Lab, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Naz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D005700:Galactosyltransferases / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000939:Epitopes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005700:Galactosyltransferases