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Xiao W, Gu N, Zhang B, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Qin G, Lin Q. Characterization and expression patterns of lysozymes reveal potential immune functions during male pregnancy of seahorse. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 142:104654. [PMID: 36738950 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Seahorses are one of the most amazing ovoviviparous fishes in the ocean because males, and not females, have evolved a brood pouch for incubating embryos. During male pregnancy, paternal seahorses need to develop effective immune protection for embryos in the brood pouch from potential infection by pathogens. Lysozymes (Lyz) are a group of antibacterial enzymes of the innate immune system that play an important role in resisting pathogen invasion. However, the immune function of lysozymes in the brood pouch of the pregnancy-lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) remains unknown. In this study, we found three different lysozymes in the lined seahorse: HeLyzC, HeLyzG1, and HeLyzG2. Synteny analysis revealed that HeLyzG1 and HeLyzG2 were generated by species-specific expansion rather than tandem duplication. Tissue expression patterns showed that the highest mRNA expression levels of the three lysozymes occurred in the brood pouches. Immunostimulation-induced expression analysis showed that all three HeLyzs in the brood pouches up-regulated their mRNA expression levels after Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, but only the HeLyzG2 was upregulated after Poly(I:C) injection. Similarly, except for HeLyzC, upregulated expressions of HeLyzG1 and HeLyzG2 were found quickly in brood pouches injected with LPS. The upregulated levels of HeLyzC and HeLyzG2 in brood pouches during pregnancy were significantly higher than those in non-pregnancy, implying that seahorse lysozymes might function in the immune defense in brood pouches during pregnancy. In addition, the expression levels of HeLyzs were low in embryos in the brood pouch but significantly increased in neonates. This implies that embryos in the brood pouch might not necessarily express more lysozymes by themselves due to paternal immune protection. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that HeLyzs play an important role in immune protection during male seahorse gestation, and the synergistic effect of multiple HeLyzs may contribute to improved neonatal survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanghong Xiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, 572000, PR China
| | - Na Gu
- Zhongkai university of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, PR China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology and Aquaculture of Tianjin, College of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, 300384, PR China
| | - Yanhong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, 572000, PR China
| | - Zhixin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China
| | - Geng Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, 572000, PR China.
| | - Qiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, PR China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, 572000, PR China
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2
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Vickram A, Dhama K, Thanigaivel S, Chakraborty S, Anbarasu K, Dey N, Karunakaran R. Strategies for successful designing of immunocontraceptive vaccines and recent updates in vaccine development against sexually transmitted infections - A Review. Saudi J Biol Sci 2022; 29:2033-2046. [PMID: 35531220 PMCID: PMC9073025 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Objective Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- A.S. Vickram
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh 243122, India
| | - S. Thanigaivel
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sandip Chakraborty
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Sciences &, Animal Husbandry, R.K.Nagar, West Tripura, Pin- 799008, India
| | - K. Anbarasu
- Department of Bioinformatics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Nibedita Dey
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rohini Karunakaran
- Unit of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, AIMST University, Semeling, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia
- Corresponding author.
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Cruz A, Sullivan DB, Doty KF, Hess RA, Canisso IF, Reddi PP. Acrosomal marker SP-10 (gene name Acrv1) for staging of the cycle of seminiferous epithelium in the stallion. Theriogenology 2020; 156:214-221. [PMID: 32758798 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The acrosome plays a critical role in sperm-oocyte interactions during fertilization. SP-10 is an acrosomal matrix protein, which is evolutionarily conserved among mammals. The SP-10 antibody has been shown to be useful for staging the seminiferous cycle in the mouse and human. A canonical acrosomal marker; however, has never been used for staging in the horse. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the presence of SP-10 within the horse acrosome using an anti-mouse SP-10 antibody, to classify spermatids based on the shape of the acrosome, and then to use that information to assign stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. Testes from mature stallions with history of normospermic ejaculates were used for immunohistochemistry. We found that the mouse SP-10 antibody stained the horse acrosome vividly in testis cross-sections, indicating evolutionary conservation. Previous methods based on morphology alone without the aid of an antibody marker showed 8 stages in the horse seminiferous epithelium. Morphological detail of the acrosome afforded by the SP-10 marker in this study identified 16 steps of spermatids. This, in turn, led to the identification of 12 distinct stages in the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the horse wherein stage I shows recently formed round spermatids and stage XII includes meiotic divisions; a classification that is consistent with other animal models. The SP-10 antibody marks the acrosome in a way that enables researchers in the field to identify stages of spermatogenesis in the horse easily. In conclusion, we demonstrated that immunolabeling for SP-10 can be an objective approach to stage the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in normospermic stallions; future studies will determine if SP-10 could be used to assess testicular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamaria Cruz
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Derek B Sullivan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Karen F Doty
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Rex A Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Igor F Canisso
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA; Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
| | - Prabhakara P Reddi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA.
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Narayanan KB, Han SS. Recombinant helical plant virus-based nanoparticles for vaccination and immunotherapy. Virus Genes 2018; 54:623-637. [PMID: 30008053 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-018-1583-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant virus-based nanoparticles (PVNs) are self-assembled capsid proteins of plant viruses, and can be virus-like nanoparticles (VLPs) or virus nanoparticles (VNPs). Plant viruses showing helical capsid symmetry are used as a versatile platform for the presentation of multiple copies of well-arrayed immunogenic antigens of various disease pathogens. Helical PVNs are non-infectious, biocompatible, and naturally immunogenic, and thus, they are suitable antigen carriers for vaccine production and can trigger humoral and/or cellular immune responses. Furthermore, recombinant PVNs as vaccines and adjuvants can be expressed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and plant expression systems can be used to produce cost-effective antigenic peptides on the surfaces of recombinant helical PVNs. This review discusses various recombinant helical PVNs based on different plant viral capsid shells that have been developed as prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines against bacterial, viral, and protozoal diseases, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Badri Narayanan
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea.,Department of Nano, Medical & Polymer Materials, College of Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Soo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Nano, Medical & Polymer Materials, College of Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 38541, Republic of Korea.
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Immunization against lysozyme-like proteins affect sperm function and fertility in the rat. J Reprod Immunol 2016; 118:100-108. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Osuru HP, Monroe JE, Chebolu AP, Akamune J, Pramoonjago P, Ranpura SA, Reddi PP. The acrosomal protein SP-10 (Acrv1) is an ideal marker for staging of the cycle of seminiferous epithelium in the mouse. Mol Reprod Dev 2014; 81:896-907. [PMID: 25158006 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 07/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The study of spermatogenesis requires accurate identification of the stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. A stage refers to the unique association of germ cell types at a particular phase of development, as seen in a cross-sectioned seminiferous tubule. Stage-identification, however, is a daunting task. There are 12 stages represented in the mouse seminiferous epithelium. Stages are typically identified on the basis of the morphology of the developing acrosome of spermatids. Although the characteristic features of the acrosome are well-documented in ultrastructure images, a reagent that can highlight the subtle differences in acrosome shape under the light microscope is lacking. Here we demonstrate that a polyclonal antibody raised against the mouse acrosomal protein SP-10 is extremely useful for stage identification. Immunohistochemistry showed that the anti-SP-10 antibody is highly specific for the acrosome of spermatids, as no other cell type in the epithelium showed immunoreactivity. At lower magnification, the gross shape of the acrosome and the increasing intensity of immunostaining served as a guide for the identification of stages I-XII. At higher magnification, characteristic morphological features-such as whether the part of the acrosome that contacts the nuclear surface is round (stage III) or flat (stage IV) or curved (stage VI)-could be identified unambiguously. Overall, we present evidence that SP-10 is a useful marker for staging the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. The anti-SP-10 antibody works well in different fixatives, on paraffin-embedded as well as cryosections, and has been shown to be useful for characterizing spermatogenic defects in mutant mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari Prasad Osuru
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
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8
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Goyal S, Manivannan B, Kumraj GR, Ansari AS, Lohiya NK. Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Recombinant Sperm-Specific Contraceptive Vaccine in Albino Mice. Am J Reprod Immunol 2013; 69:495-508. [DOI: 10.1111/aji.12085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shipra Goyal
- Centre for Advanced Studies; Department of Zoology; University of Rajasthan; Jaipur; India
| | - Boomi Manivannan
- Centre for Advanced Studies; Department of Zoology; University of Rajasthan; Jaipur; India
| | - Ganesh R. Kumraj
- Centre for Advanced Studies; Department of Zoology; University of Rajasthan; Jaipur; India
| | - Abdul S. Ansari
- Centre for Advanced Studies; Department of Zoology; University of Rajasthan; Jaipur; India
| | - Nirmal K. Lohiya
- Centre for Advanced Studies; Department of Zoology; University of Rajasthan; Jaipur; India
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Zhou J, Kong C, Yuan Z, Luo J, Ma R, Yu J, Cao J. Preparation, characterization, and determination of immunological activities of transfer factor specific to human sperm antigen. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2012; 2013:126923. [PMID: 23484076 PMCID: PMC3591249 DOI: 10.1155/2013/126923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Revised: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to prepare, characterize, and determine immunological activities of specific transfer factor (STF) specific to human sperm antigen (HSA) for the preparation of antisperm contraceptive vaccine that can be used as an immunocontraceptive. METHODS. HSA-STF was prepared using the spleens of rabbits vaccinated with HSA. The specific immunological activities were examined by lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT), leukocyte adhesion inhibition test (LAIT), and by determining the concentrations of IL-4, γ -IFN, and IL-21. HSA-STF was a helveolous substance, having a pH value of 7.0 ± 0.4 and UV absorption maxima at 258 ± 6 nm. It contained seventeen amino acids; glycine and glutamic acids were the highest in terms of concentrations (38.8 μ g/mL and 36.3 μ g/mL, resp.). RESULTS. The concentration of polypeptide was 2.34 ± 0.31 mg/mL, and ribose was 0.717 ± 0.043 mg/mL. The stimulation index for lymphocyte proliferation test was 1.84, and the leukocyte adhesion inhibition rate was 37.7%. There was a statistically significant difference between the cultural lymphocytes with HSA-STF and non-HSA-STF for γ -IFN and IL-21 (P < 0.05), but there was no statistical significance for IL-4 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION. HSA-STF was prepared and characterized successfully. It had immunological activity which could transfer the immune response specific to HSA and prove to be a potential candidate for the development of male immunocontraceptive agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwei Zhou
- Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College, Shandong, Jining 272029, China.
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10
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García L, Veiga MF, Lustig L, Vazquez-Levin MH, Veaute C. DNA Immunization Against Proacrosin Impairs Fertility in Male Mice. Am J Reprod Immunol 2012; 68:56-67. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2012.01127.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucila García
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Ciudad Universitaria; Santa Fe; Argentina
| | - María F. Veiga
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME); National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET); Buenos Aires; Argentina
| | - Livia Lustig
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Reproducción; Facultad de Medicina; Universidad de Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires; Argentina
| | - Mónica H. Vazquez-Levin
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME); National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET); Buenos Aires; Argentina
| | - Carolina Veaute
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas; Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Ciudad Universitaria; Santa Fe; Argentina
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Khan SA, Jadhav SV, Suryawanshi AR, Bhonde GS, Gajbhiye RK, Khole VV. Evaluation of Contraceptive Potential of a Novel Epididymal Sperm Protein SFP2 in a Mouse Model. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66:185-98. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2011.01030.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Irwin DM, Biegel JM, Stewart CB. Evolution of the mammalian lysozyme gene family. BMC Evol Biol 2011; 11:166. [PMID: 21676251 PMCID: PMC3141428 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-11-166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2010] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lysozyme c (chicken-type lysozyme) has an important role in host defense, and has been extensively studied as a model in molecular biology, enzymology, protein chemistry, and crystallography. Traditionally, lysozyme c has been considered to be part of a small family that includes genes for two other proteins, lactalbumin, which is found only in mammals, and calcium-binding lysozyme, which is found in only a few species of birds and mammals. More recently, additional testes-expressed members of this family have been identified in human and mouse, suggesting that the mammalian lysozyme gene family is larger than previously known. RESULTS Here we characterize the extent and diversity of the lysozyme gene family in the genomes of phylogenetically diverse mammals, and show that this family contains at least eight different genes that likely duplicated prior to the diversification of extant mammals. These duplicated genes have largely been maintained, both in intron-exon structure and in genomic context, throughout mammalian evolution. CONCLUSIONS The mammalian lysozyme gene family is much larger than previously appreciated and consists of at least eight distinct genes scattered around the genome. Since the lysozyme c and lactalbumin proteins have acquired very different functions during evolution, it is likely that many of the other members of the lysozyme-like family will also have diverse and unexpected biological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Banting and Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason M Biegel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12222, USA
| | - Caro-Beth Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12222, USA
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Ferro VA, Garside DA. Reproductive component vaccine developments for contraceptive and non-contraceptive uses. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2011; 21:1473-82. [DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2011.594042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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McLaughlin EA, Aitken RJ. Is there a role for immunocontraception? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2011; 335:78-88. [PMID: 20412833 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2010.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2009] [Revised: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 04/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The world's population is continuing to grow at an alarming rate and yet no novel methods of contraception have been introduced since 1960s. The paucity of our current contraceptive armoury is indicated by the 46 million abortions that are performed each year, largely in developing countries where population growth is greatest. Thus, whatever new forms of fertility control we develop for the next millennium, the particular needs of developing countries should be borne in mind. Contraceptive vaccines have the potential to provide safe, effective, prolonged, reversible protection against pregnancy in a form that can be easily administered in the Third World. In this review we consider the contraceptive targets that might be pursued, how vaccines might be engineered and the problems generated by inter-individual variations in antibody titre. We conclude that the specifications for a safe, effective, reversible vaccine are more likely to be met in animals than man.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A McLaughlin
- Discipline of Biological Sciences, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
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Lv ZM, Wang M, Xu C. Antifertility characteristics of the N-terminal region of mouse equatorial segment protein. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2010; 293:171-81. [PMID: 19899111 DOI: 10.1002/ar.21032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
To investigate antifertility characteristics of the equatorial segment protein (ESP) and its potential immunocontraceptive effect, three partially overlapping cDNA fragments P1/P2/P3, together covering the entire mouse ESP, were cloned, expressed, and purified. The roles of P1/P2/P3 in fertility were investigated through in vitro fertilization and mouse mating test. Antibodies against P1/P2 significantly reduced the rates of fertilization in vitro in the zona-intact experiments. Coincubation of zona-free mouse oocytes with capacitated mouse spermatozoa in the presence of antibodies against P1/P2 also inhibited sperm-oolemma binding and fusion, while anti-P3 antibody virtually had no effect on in vitro fertilization at the same concentration. Immunization of female BALB/c mice with N-terminal of mouse ESP (recombinant P1 and P2) resulted in a significant decrease in the fertility rate as well as the litter size. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that mouse ESP protein was localized to the equatorial segment of acrosome of mouse sperm, and was exposed and surface-accessible after acrosome reaction. Mouse ESP was also demonstrated to have complementary binding sites on the mouse egg plasma membrane by indirect immunofluorescence assay. These findings suggest that the N-terminal of mouse ESP could play an important role in fertility and might be a vaccine candidate for contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-mei Lv
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Dun MD, Mitchell LA, Aitken RJ, Nixon B. Sperm-zona pellucida interaction: molecular mechanisms and the potential for contraceptive intervention. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2010:139-178. [PMID: 20839091 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-02062-9_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
At the moment of insemination, millions of mammalian sperm cells are released into the female reproductive tract with the single goal of finding the oocyte. The spermatozoa subsequently ignore the thousands of cells they make contact with during their journey to the site of fertilization, until they reach the surface of the oocyte. At this point, they bind tenaciously to the acellular coat, known as the zona pellucida, which surrounds the oocyte and orchestrate a cascade of cellular interactions that culminate in fertilization. These exquisitely cell- and species- specific recognition events are among the most strategically important cellular interactions in biology. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underpin them has implications for the etiology of human infertility and the development of novel targets for fertility regulation. Herein we describe our current understanding of the molecular basis of successful sperm-zona pellucida binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Dun
- Reproductive Science Group, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
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Khan SA, Suryawanshi AR, Ranpura SA, Jadhav SV, Khole VV. Identification of novel immunodominant epididymal sperm proteins using combinatorial approach. Reproduction 2009; 138:81-93. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-09-0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Functionally immature spermatozoa leave the testis mature during epididymal transit. This process of maturation involves either addition of new proteins or modification of existing proteins onto the sperm domains that are responsible for domain-specific functions. Epididymal proteins are preferred targets for immunocontraception. In an attempt to identify epididymis-specific sperm proteins, we used a novel combinatorial approach comprising subtractive immunization (SI) followed by proteomics. Following SI, sera of mice were used for immunoproteomics, which led to the identification of 30 proteins, of which four proteins namely sperm head protein 1, sperm flagella protein 2 (SFP2), SFP3, and SFP4 are being reported for the first time on sperm. Another group of four proteins namely collagen α-2 (I) chain precursor, homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 1, GTP-binding protein Rab1, and ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase core protein II although reported earlier in testis are being reported for the first time in epididymal sperm. Furthermore, seven out of these eight novel proteins could be validated using peptide ELISA. These data are a useful repository, which could be exploited to develop targets for post-testicular immunocontraception or biomarkers for infertility diagnosis and management.
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Immunogenicity of zona pellucida glycoprotein-3 and spermatozoa YLP12 peptides presented on Johnson grass mosaic virus-like particles. Vaccine 2009; 27:2948-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2008] [Revised: 03/01/2009] [Accepted: 03/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Wolkowicz MJ, Digilio L, Klotz K, Shetty J, Flickinger CJ, Herr JC. Equatorial segment protein (ESP) is a human alloantigen involved in sperm-egg binding and fusion. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 29:272-82. [PMID: 17978344 DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.106.000604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The equatorial segment of the sperm head is known to play a role in fertilization; however, the specific sperm molecules contributing to the integrity of the equatorial segment and in binding and fusion at the oolemma remain incomplete. Moreover, identification of molecular mediators of fertilization that are also immunogenic in humans is predicted to advance both the diagnosis and treatment of immune infertility. We previously reported the cloning of Equatorial Segment Protein (ESP), a protein localized to the equatorial segment of ejaculated human sperm. ESP is a biomarker for a subcompartment of the acrosomal matrix that can be traced through all stages of acrosome biogenesis (Wolkowicz et al, 2003). In the present study, ESP immunoreacted on Western blots with 4 (27%) of 15 antisperm antibody (ASA)-positive serum samples from infertile male patients and 2 (40%) of 5 ASA-positive female sera. Immunofluorescent studies revealed ESP in the equatorial segment of 89% of acrosome-reacted sperm. ESP persisted as a defined equatorial segment band on 100% of sperm tightly bound to the oolemma of hamster eggs. Antisera to recombinant human ESP inhibited both oolemmal binding and fusion of human sperm in the hamster egg penetration assay. The results indicate that ESP is a human alloantigen involved in sperm-egg binding and fusion. Defined recombinant sperm immunogens, such as ESP, may offer opportunities for differential diagnosis of immune infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Wolkowicz
- Center for Research in Contraceptive and Reproductive Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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