Active Immunization of Rhesus Monkeys Against the β-Subunit of Ovine Luteinizing Hormone: Evaluation of Safety and Effectiveness of an Antigonadotropin Vaccine

  • Rosemarie B. Thau
Chapter
Part of the Progress in Vaccinology book series (VACCINOLOGY, volume 1)

Abstract

The capacity to interfere with reproductive processes by immunizing against hormones has long been recognized (19). However, more recent studies have aimed at developing a vaccine that would prevent pregnancy while affecting other reproductive functions (such as menstrual cycles and ovulation) as little as possible. Therefore, great efforts have been made to raise antibodies against human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and to avoid cross-reactions with the pituitary gonadotropin luteinizing hormone (LH). HCG, which is produced by the implanting embryo, induces the corpus luteum to continue production of the progesterone required for the maintenance of pregnancy. LH regulates (in conjunction with follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH) normal follicular development and induction of ovulation. The α-subunit of HCG is identical to that of LH, FSH, and thyrotropin, while the β-subunit is different for each gonadotropin. The C-terminal peptide (CTP) of HCGβ (being unique to HCGβ) avoids even existing homologies among the (β-subunits. The possibility of active immunization with the β-subunit or fragments of HCG as a method of fertility regulation in females has been investigated for almost two decades. Recently, several anti-HCG vaccines have reached the stage of phase I clinical trials (4,9,10,20), Studies in primate models were carried out by actively immunizing baboons, marmosets, and rhesus monkeys against HCGβ and baboons against the CTP of HCGβ (7,1,5). Marmoset chorionic gonadotropin (CG) is highly cross-reactive with HCG (12), whereas baboon CG cross-reacts less than 2% (11) and rhesus (Rh) CG has limited cross-reaction with HCG and no cross-reaction with HCGβ (2). Therefore, anti-HCGβ) antibodies cannot be used to neutralize the biological activity of RhCG.

Keywords

Luteinizing Hormone Rhesus Monkey Corpus Luteum Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Booster Injection 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© Springer-Verlag New York Inc. 1988

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  • Rosemarie B. Thau

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