title: The antibody against a nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein can result in reproductive failure.
abstract: To study whether the antibody against the testis form of the nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein (tNASP) could result in reproductive failure, we successfully cloned and expressed a 339-bp cDNA fragment of mouse tNASP (mtNASP). Using mouse as a model, recombinant mtNASP (rmtNASP) and a synthetic peptide, human tNASP(393-408) (htNASP(393-408)), were investigated for their antifertility effect. Active immunization with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide raised high antibody titers in the immunized mice. Sperm-egg binding and fusion assay were carried out in 8-10-week-old BALB/c mice. Sperm-egg binding and in vitro fertilization of mouse oocytes were inhibited by co-incubation of zona-free mouse oocytes with capacitated mouse spermatozoa in the presence of varying concentrations of the antisera against rmtNASP. There was a significant antifertility effect in animals immunized with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide. The effect on fertility in the mice immunized with the synthesized peptide was reversible. Our data indicate that active immunization with rmtNASP antigen may induce a strong antibody response that causes an inhibition of fertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology & Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Guo-Yan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yan-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D007106:Immune Sera; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; C067535:Nasp protein, mouse