title: Immune response of male baboons to testis-specific LDH-C(4).
abstract: Four sexually mature male baboons (Papio sp.) were immunized with a chimeric peptide containing a B-cell epitope of the testis-specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C(4)) and a promiscuous T-cell epitope of tetanus toxin. LDH-C(4) is the testis-specific isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase, and antibodies to this protein reduce fertility significantly in female nonhuman primates. Animals were immunized on Day 0 and received booster injections at Days 29, 61, and 344 after priming. Serum specific antibodies were determined at regular intervals during the initial 6 months and after the last booster. Testis biopsies were taken at Days 61, 127, and 183 after the primary immunization. Sperm-zona binding was assessed prior to and three times after the last booster. The present study demonstrated that this epitope of LDH-C(4) did not cause autoimmune disease and that sperm from these immunized males had a diminished zona binding capacity. These results suggest that a safe male immunocontraceptive based on development of anti-sperm antibodies may be feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Northwestern, University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. erv@nwu.edu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: VandeBerg
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mahony
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Doncel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001706:Biopsy; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007114:Immunization; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010215:Papio; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007527:Isoenzymes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; C409673:lactate dehydrogenase C4