Vaccination with a Synthetic Zona Pellucida Peptide Produces Long-Term Contraception in Female Mice

• DOI: 10.1126/science.2479101
• Publication Date: 2006-10-05T21:21:28Z
• Authors: Sarah E. Millar; Steven M. Chamow; Anne W. Baur; Constance Oliver; Frank Robey; Jurrien Dean
• Keywords: Zona pellucida glycoprotein

The zona pellucida surrounding mouse oocytes is an extracellular matrix composed of three sulfated glycoproteins, ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3. It has been demonstrated that a monoclonal antibody to ZP3 injected into female mice inhibits fertilization by binding the blocking sperm penetration. A complementary DNA encoding was randomly cleaved 200- 1000-base pair fragments were cloned expression vector lambda gt11. This epitope library screened with aforementioned contraceptive antibody, positive clones used map seven-amino acid recognized antibody. Female immunized synthetic peptide containing this B cell coupled carrier protein provide helper T epitopes. resultant circulating antibodies bound animals produced long-lasting contraception. lack ovarian histopathology or cellular cytotoxicity among may be because absence epitopes in vaccine.