Ability of an anti-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone vaccine to inhibit gonadotropins in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of immunization with an anti-LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) vaccine in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Pilot clinical study.


METHODS
Normal human volunteers in a medical research-training environment.


METHODS
Three postmenopausal women with a mean age of 60 years, 5 years of amenorrhea, and severe hypoestrogenism with elevated serum LH and FSH.


METHODS
Intramuscular immunization with 300 micrograms LH-RH equivalent of the vaccine in two occasions 1 month apart.


METHODS
Patients were followed for clinical assessment and serum LH, FSH, and anti-LH-RH titers at regular monthly intervals for 7 months.


RESULTS
The injection of the anti-LH-RH vaccine followed by a booster injection 1 month later resulted in a sharp decrease, 60 days after the first injection, of both serum gonadotropins, accompanied by an increase in anti-LH-RH antibody titers, which were reversible after 180 days in the absence of further booster immunization.


CONCLUSIONS
Active immunization offer a safe option to induce antibody response, which in the present regime employed was of about 6-months duration. This procedure opens new possibilities for its use as an affordable therapeutic agent in some hormone-dependent clinical conditions.
Gual
C
C
Hospital Angeles del Pedregal, México City, México.
Garza-Flores
J
J
Menjivar
M
M
Gutierrez-Najar
A
A
Pal
R
R
Talwar
G P
GP
D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017698:Postmenopause; D013997:Time Factors
D000906:Antibodies; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone