title: Vaccination with an Epitope Peptide of IZUMO1 to Induce Contraception in Female Mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The development of a new and suitable contraceptive methods, as well as in-depth and systematic research into underlying contraceptive mechanisms, is crucial. IZUMO1 plays an important role in the fusion of the sperm and ovum during fertilization. Izumo(-/-) mice are infertile. Therefore, IZUMO1 may be a potential target for the development of a contraceptive vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linear B-cell epitopes (BCE) were identified in IZUMO using biosynthetic peptides and used to immunize female mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five IZUMO BCE were identified: DLVLDCL177-183, YSFYRV196-201 (named BCE-2), YLT217-219, SMVGPED221-227, and DAGNY228-232. Active immunization with the BCE-2 vaccine sharply decreased the fertility rate in female mice in a safe and reversible manner. In vitro fertilization showed that the BCE-2 vaccine interferes with and blocks the fusion of the sperm and the ovum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B-cell epitopes-2 may be a new candidate for the development of contraceptive vaccine due to its effectiveness, safety, and reversibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Department of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptives Drugstore & Devices, Department of Reproductive Biology, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: National Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptives Drugstore & Devices, Department of Reproductive Biology, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wanxiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018985:Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C498177:Izumo1 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive
keywords: IZUMO; linear B-cell epitope; peptide vaccine; sperm antigen; sperm-egg fusion