Molecular targets for immunocontraception.
Effective contraception is necessary in countries where limiting population growth has become a public policy imperative. The main antigenic targets for contraceptive vaccine development can be listed as following: 1) sperm antigens, 2) zona pellucida antigens, 3) gonadotrophin-releasing hormone, 4) chorionic gonadotrophin, 5) other protein/peptide hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone), and 6) gonadal steroid hormones. New techniques, such as the application of monoclonal antibodies, hybridoma and DNA recombinant technologies, have become useful in search for contraceptive candidates. Current state of development of contraceptive vaccines based on specific antigenic targets and trials in animal/human models are presented in this article.
Stoyka
Bogdana
B
Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Domagała
Alina
A
Kurpisz
Maciej
M
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000276:immunology; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008967:Molecular Biology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000276:immunology
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive