title: Epitope-Specific Anti-hCG Vaccines on a Virus Like Particle Platform.
abstract: The possibility of a contraceptive vaccine targeting human chorionic gonadotropin has long been recognized, but never fully realized. Here we describe an epitope-specific approach based on immunogenic display of hCG-derived peptides on virus-like particles of RNA bacteriophage. A number of recombinant VLPs were constructed, each displaying a different hCG-derived peptide. Some were taken from the disordered C-terminal tail of the hormone, another came from an internal loop, and yet another was an epitope mimic produced by affinity-selection on an hCG-neutralizing antibody target. Immunization of mice with some VLPs yielded antisera that bound the hormone and neutralized hCG biological activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jerri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jeremiah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bustos
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States of America.
authors.forename: Julianne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peabody
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States of America.
authors.forename: Bryce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chackerian
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States of America.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Peabody
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D001681:Biological Assay; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017909:Levivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015202:Protein Engineering; D011897:Random Allocation; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000276:immunology*; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle