title: The bioactivities of the central segment of Zp2 polypeptide.
abstract: In order to understand the role of the protein zona pellucida 2 in fertilization, an antibody against a central segment of the zona pellucida 2 peptide, segment 190-505 (Z2eH), was prepared. The influence of the antibody on sperm-zona interaction was tested using the sperm-egg binding assay. The effect of the antibody on fertility was evaluated by passive immunization with anti-Z2eH antibody. Immunohistochemical assay showed that an antibody from rabbit reacted specifically with the natural zona pellucida on mouse ovarian sections. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the antibody bound specifically to the zonae pellucidae of the ovulated oocytes and 2-cell embryos after passive immunization. The antibody-treated oocytes bound capacitated sperm as control oocytes, passive immunization did not impede the action of sperm to fertilize the oocyte in vivo. These findings suggest that the central peptide of ZP2 (190-505) is immunogenic and contains zona pellucida-specific epitopes, however the central polypeptide might not be the crucial part from which to construct a functional domain to bind sperm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology,Jinan University,Guangzhou 510632,China.
authors.forename: Zuowu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology,Jinan University,Guangzhou 510632,China.
authors.forename: Chuncheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology,Jinan University,Guangzhou 510632,China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology,Jinan University,Guangzhou 510632,China.
authors.forename: Dongqin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; C000606520:Zp2 protein, mouse
keywords: Antibody; Immunofluorescence; Mouse zona pellucida 2 (ZP2); Passive immunization; Sperm–egg binding