title: DNA immunization against proacrosin impairs fertility in male mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of proacrosin/acrosin ability to induce an immune response in male mice after genetic immunization and assessment of animal fertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice received 50 μg per animal of a plasmid containing the human proacrosin cDNA (pSF2-Acro) (control: empty plasmid, pSF2). The humoral response was evaluated by ELISA and immunocytochemistry. In vivo fertility was assessed by mating immunized males with control females. The effect of antibodies upon Ca(+2)-ionophore-induced acrosomal exocytosis (AE) and in vitro sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) binding was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  pSF2-Acro-immunized mice developed high levels of specific antibodies (P < 0.05) that recognized the sperm acrosomal cap. The number of fertile mice was lower (P = 0.027) in pSF2-Acro-immunized animals than in controls. Litter size was smaller (P < 0.05) in the pSF2-Acro group compared with controls. A negative correlation (P < 0.05) between antibody levels and litter size was found. Antiproacrosin/acrosin antibodies inhibited sperm-ZP binding (P < 0.0001) and Ca(+2)-ionophore-induced AE (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA immunization against proacrosin elicits an immune response in male mice associated with abnormal sperm functions and reduced fertility.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Lucila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lustig
authors.forename: Mónica H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Levin
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Veaute
mesh_terms: D000176:Acrosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; C022438:proacrosin; D000176:Acrosin