title: Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR)-derived peptide vaccine induced infertility in mice without pathological effect on reproductive organs.
abstract: In a previous study it was found that priming with recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (rhFSHR) protein (F140) and boosting with a peptide containing amino acids 32-44 from FSHR showed a specific immune response and fertility inhibition in adult male mice. However, this priming and boosting led to damage of the reproductive organs. Therefore, to eliminate this damage, the peptide prime-boost strategy was explored as a possible means of avoiding the pathological change while maintaining infertility. Immunisation with the peptide prime-boost strategy led to decreased fertility 10 weeks after vaccination, which is consistent with Balb/C mice treated with the protein prime-peptide boost regime. In contrast to the cellular swelling and spotty necrosis in spermatogonia observed in the protein-primed mice, the mice receiving peptide priming did not display pathological damage in seminiferous tubules and interstitial cells. Thus, the prime-boost immune regime with the FSHR-derived peptide potentially provides a much safer candidate for a contraceptive vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jin-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hong-Li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Su-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yu-Zhang
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhi-Qing
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive