Termination of pregnancy in mice following administration of antibodies to the pentadecapeptide 10-24 of chicken riboflavin carrier protein: identification of a bioneutralizing epitope of chicken riboflavin carrier protein.
Our studies have shown that the administration of antibodies to chicken riboflavin carrier protein (cRCP) or disulfide-reduced carboxymethylated cRCP (RCM-RCP) leads to termination of pregnancy in mice. In an attempt to delineate the bioneutralizing epitopes, a combination of chemical modification and predictive methods was used. The results led to the identification of the region 10-24 of cRCP as a potential candidate. A single injection of antipeptide antibodies to pregnant mice on day 11 resulted in 100% pregnancy termination. This was accompanied by a drastic reduction in circulatory progesterone as early as 24 h after the antibody administration. These results thus demonstrate that the amino acid sequence 10-24 of cRCP harbours a bioneutralizing epitope of cRCP.
Natraj
U
U
Institute for Research in Reproduction (ICMR), Parel, Bombay, India.
Sabnis
T N
TN
Mahale
S D
SD
Iyer
K S
KS
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005865:Gestational Age; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011817:Rabbits; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000502:physiology*; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004168:Diphtheria Toxoid; D000939:Epitopes; D007518:Isoantibodies; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C019079:riboflavin-binding protein; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D011374:Progesterone; D012256:Riboflavin