title: Effectiveness of an immunocastration vaccine formulation to reduce the gonadal function in female and male mice by Th1/Th2 immune response.
abstract: Immunocastration has emerged as an alternative to surgical castration in different animal species. This study examined the effectiveness of a new vaccine formulation for immunocastration using the biopolymer chitosan as adjuvant. First, female and male mice (n = 4), in three subsequent experiments were vaccinated at Days 1 and 30 of the study, to determine the immune response profile and gonadal alterations due to immunization. The results demonstrated that the vaccine was able to elicit strong antibody responses against native GnRH hormone (P < 0.01), with a T helper (Th) 1/Th2 immune response profile. Along with this, a suppression of gonadal activity with a decrease of luteal bodies (1.08 ± 0.22 and 4.08 ± 0.39) and antral follicles (1.17 ± 0.32 and 4.5 ± 0.38) in the ovaries of immunized females and control, respectively, and a reduction of seminiferous tubules size (142.3 ± 5.58 mm and 198.0 ± 6.11 mm) and germinal cellular layers (3.58 ± 0.26 and 5.08 ± 0.29) of immunized males and control animals, respectively, were observed (P < 0.01). Then, in a study of long-term immune response due to vaccination in female and male mice (n = 4) from two subsequent experiments, a suppression of gonadal function and an induction of a Th1/Th2 immune response was also observed, determined by both, immunoglobulin and cytokine profiles, which lasted until the end of the study (7 months; P < 0.01). The findings of this study have demonstrated that vaccination with a new immunocastration vaccine inducing a Th1/Th2 immune response against GnRH (P < 0.01) elicit a decrease of gonadal function in male and female mice (P < 0.01). Owing to long-term duration of the antibody levels generated, this vaccine formulation appears as a promising alternative for immunocastration of several animal species where long-lasting reproductive block is needed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccines, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccines, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccines, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sevilla
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ecosystems' Health, Veterinary Medicine School, Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resources, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paredes
authors.affiliation: California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California, San Bernardino, California, USA.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carvallo
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Lisette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lapierre
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maino
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, ICBP and Faculty of Medical Science Victoria de Girón, University of Medical Science of Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccines, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: leosaenz@uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sáenz
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D002369:Castration / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D048271:Chitosan; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000276:immunology*; D006066:Gonads / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014612:Vaccines; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Chitosan; GnRH; Immunocastration; Vaccine