title: Assessment of the immunocontraceptive effect of a zona pellucida 3 peptide antigen in wild mice.
abstract: Immunizing laboratory mice against a short peptide to mouse zona pellucida protein 3 (mZP3; amino acids 328-342) reduces fertility in some strains. This antigen was therefore tested to see if it is suitable for use in an immunocontraceptive vaccine to control wild mice. Mouse zona pellucida protein 3 peptide conjugated to a carrier protein (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) was considerably more immunogenic and effective in reducing fertility in wild mice when compared with inbred BALB/c mice. Fertility of the immunized wild mice was reduced by over 50% compared with controls, whereas BALB/c mice showed no reduction. Variation in the responses between individual animals to mZP3 peptide was observed and infertility correlated to the presence of cross-reacting antibodies to native zona pellucida in wild, but not BALB/c, mice.
authors.affiliation: Chris.Hardy@csiro.au
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: J F M
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: ten Have
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mobbs
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hinds
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000662:veterinary*; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012375:Rodent Control / Q000379:methods*; D013045:Species Specificity; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D004527:Egg Proteins; D006241:Haptens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin