title: Hepatitis B Surface Antigen S Gene is an Effective Carrier Molecule for Developing GnRH DNA Immunocastration Vaccine in Mice.
abstract: Relatively molecular mass of GnRH antigens is small and hence needs to couple to a large carrier molecule to enhance its immunogenicity. This study investigated whether hepatitis B surface antigen S (HBsAg-S) gene can be used as an effective carrier molecule for developing GnRH DNA immunocastration vaccine. Two copies of human GnRH gene were fused with HBsAg-S gene for constructing a recombinant plasmid pVAX-HBsAg-S-2GnRH that coded for 27 kDa target fusion protein. Ten male mice were divided into two equal groups, treatment and control. The vaccine (50 μg/mice) prepared in saline solution was injected into male mice at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the experiment. Vaccine's efficacy was evaluated in terms of GnRH-specific IgG antibody response, plasma testosterone levels, testicular weight and extent of the testicular tissue damage. The specific anti-GnRH antibody titre in vaccinated animals was significantly higher than in controls in only 4th week of immunization (p < 0.05). In addition, vaccinated animals showed lower testicular weight than those of the controls (p < 0.05). Spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules in vaccinated animals was suppressed. In conclusion, in this study, the engineered plasmid to be used as a GnRH DNA vaccine induced antibody response and suppressed spermatogenesis in mice. This suggests that HBsAg-S gene can be an effective carrier molecule for developing GnRH DNA immunocastration vaccine when relatively molecular mass of the aimed antigens is small.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.|Chongqing Key Laboratory of Forage & Herbivore, Chongqing Engineering Research Centre for Herbivores Resource Protection and Utilization, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: G Q
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: X P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ijaz
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tesema
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000276:immunology*; D013245:Sterilization, Reproductive / Q000379:methods*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone