Contraceptive responses of mice immunized with purified recombinant mouse zona pellucida subunit 3 (mZP3) proteins.
Mouse zona pellucida subunit 3 (mZP3) was tested for efficacy as an immunocontraceptive antigen by comparing the fertility of mice immunized with recombinant mZP3 proteins. Recombinant protein was expressed using either the vaccinia virus T7 mammalian (vmZP3 protein) or baculovirus insect cell (bmZP3 protein)-expression systems. Female BALB/c or wild mice were immunized by i.p. injection using Freund's complete adjuvant and boosted three times with affinity purified recombinant proteins in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Most mice developed antibodies that crossreacted to the respective mZP3 antigens by ELISA or western blot. In BALB/c mice immunized with vmZP3, fertility and mean litter size were reduced transiently to 25% and 10%, respectively, of those of control mice. However, immunization with bmZP3 did not affect either the fertility or mean litter sizes in BALB/c or wild mice immunized with bmZP3. The results demonstrate that reduction in fertility can be achieved in female BALB/c mice immunized using Freund's adjuvants and recombinant mZP3 protein produced in a mammalian, but not an insect, cell-expression system. Arguments are presented for the likely role of glycosylation of the mZP3 antigen in inducing contraceptive immune responses.
Hardy
C M
CM
Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, GPO Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. chris.hardy@csiro.au
ten Have
J F M
JF
Pekin
J
J
Beaton
S
S
Jackson
R J
RJ
Clydesdale
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D019149:Bioreactors; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008098:Litter Size; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018411:Spodoptera; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
D000906:Antibodies; D004527:Egg Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant