Antibodies to sperm-specific human FA-1 inhibit in vitro fertilization in rhesus monkeys: development of a simian model for testing of anti-FA-1 contraceptive vaccine.
The feasibility of using the rhesus monkey as a non-human primate model for testing the efficacy of a contraceptive vaccine based on FA-1 antigen was evaluated. Affinity-purified anti-FA-1 polyclonal antibodies (Fab' fragments) and anti-FA-1 monoclonal antibody were used as probes in these studies. Anti-FA-1 antibodies (polyclonal Fab' as well as monoclonal IgG) predominantly reacted with the postacrosomal, mid-piece and tail regions of rhesus monkey sperm, as with human sperm, by an indirect immunofluorescence technique (IFT). These antibodies also specifically recognized a single protein band of 51 +/- 2 kDa, corresponding to the dimeric form of FA-1 antigen, on a Western blot of lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS)-solubilized monkey sperm. Anti-FA-1 antibodies, when present in the insemination mixture, inhibited the in vitro fertilization (IVF) of monkey oocytes. These results indicate that FA-1 antigen in rhesus monkey sperm is similar in subcellular localization, molecular identity and function to that in human sperm, and that the rhesus monkey represents a permissible non-human primate model in which the efficacy of a contraceptive vaccine based on FA-1 antigen can be tested.
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R K
RK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.
Wolf
D P
DP
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D014612:Vaccines; C054151:fertilization antigen