Contraception in mice immunized with recombinant zona pellucida subunit 3 proteins correlates with Th2 responses and the levels of interleukin 4 expressed by CD4+ cells

The immune responses and contraceptive effect in mice were tested following immunization with purified recombinant zona pellucida (ZP) proteins produced using a vaccinia (v) virus T7 mammalian expression system. Female BALB/c and CBA mice were immunized with recombinant mouse (m) ZP3 (vmZP3) or pig (p) ZPC (vpZPC) using Freund's adjuvants and boosted three times. Fertility and mean litter size were significantly reduced in groups of BALB/c mice immunized with recombinant vmZP3 and vpZPC compared with controls treated with Freund's adjuvants alone. In CBA mice, fertility and mean litter size were significantly reduced in groups of animals immunized with vmZP3 but not with vpZPC compared with the controls. Most infertile animals treated with vmZP3 and a single infertile BALB/c mouse treated with vpZPC lacked mature follicles in the ovaries, whilst no abnormalities were detected in the remaining vpZPC treated, fertile vmZP3 treated and control mice. All mice (both fertile and infertile) immunized with vmZP3 and vpZPC produced IgG antibodies, but the levels of total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a did not correlate with infertility. All BALB/c and CBA mice immunized with vmZP3 and vpZPC showed greater delayed type hypersensitivity responses in the footpads after challenge with their respective antigens than controls, but these did not differ between the fertile and infertile mice. There was, however, a significant correlation between infertility and the levels of the Type 2 T helper cell (Th2) cytokine interleukin 4 produced by CD4+ cells from vmZP3 immunized mice in response to stimulation with vmZP3 and this did not apply to the levels of the Type 1 T helper cell (Th1) cytokine interferon gamma or the general proliferation response. The results support the conclusion that induction of Th2 responses in individual mice determines whether infertility develops in response to immunization with zona pellucida proteins.     

Changes in the reproductive system of male mice immunized with a GnRH-analogue conjugated to mycobacterial hsp70

Immunosterilization is an attractive alternative to surgical castration. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) controls the production of the gonadotropins thereby having an orchestrating effect on the reproductive hormone cascade and spermatogenesis. Induction of neutralizing antibody can abrogate the effect of the hormone. Current GnRH-based vaccines often require strong adjuvants and/or multiple injections of the vaccines to overcome variability in the response. Heat shock proteins (hsp) have been used as carrier molecules because of their powerful intrinsic ability to enhance an immune response to associated antigens. A GnRH-analogue, GnRH-d6-Lys, was conjugated to recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis hsp70. Male BALB/c mice were immunized i.p. with GnRH-hsp70 in the mild adjuvant Ribi or in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). The initial immunizations were done on pre-pubertal 3-week-old mice, with boosts at 5 and 8 weeks of age. The mice were killed at 10 weeks of age and GnRH-specific antibodies and serum testosterone levels measured. All the immunized mice mounted GnRH-specific antibody responses, with no difference in the mice immunized with GnRH-hsp70/Ribi or with GnRH-hsp70/IFA. There was substantial atrophy of the urogenital complex and significantly (P < 0.0005) reduced levels of testosterone-dependent testicular relaxin-like factor mRNA expression. Mice immunized with GnRH-hsp70/Ribi showed substantially reduced (P < 0.001) serum testosterone levels. These results indicate that hsp70 may serve as a particularly advantageous carrier for GnRH-based vaccines.     

Immunogenicity and contraceptive potential of three infertility-relevant zona pellucida 2 epitopes in the marsupial brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

In a previous study, three infertility-relevant epitopes of possum ZP2 (Pep12 (amino acids 111-125), Pep31 (amino acids 301-315), and Pep44 (amino acids 431-445)) were identified using sera from possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) immunized with recombinant possum zona pellucida 2 (ZP2) constructs, and a synthetic peptide library of possum ZP2 protein. In this study, the three peptides were conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and 300 mug of each conjugated peptide were administered subcutaneously to female possums (n = 20 per peptide) in complete Freund's adjuvant. Immunogen doses were repeated 3 and 6 weeks later using incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Control animals were immunized with either phosphate-buffered saline only (n = 10) or 300 mug keyhole limpet hemocyanin (n = 10), administered with the same adjuvants. Serum antibodies from animals immunized against these three epitopes bound to the corresponding possum ZP2 peptides, recombinant possum ZP2 protein constructs, and native zona. Possum fertility was assessed following superovulation and artificial insemination. Peptides Pep12 and Pep31 had no significant effects on fertility parameters (P > 0.05). However, animals immunized with Pep44 had lower egg fertilization rates (immunized 19.5% versus control 60.5%, P < 0.05) and produced significantly fewer embryos than control animals (immunized 0.5 embryos versus control 2.4 embryos, P < 0.05). The number of Pep44-immunized females that produced embryos was reduced by 64%. Identification and characterization of possum infertility-relevant epitopes on possum ZP2 protein will assist development of safe, humane, and possum-specific immunocontraceptive vaccines for controlling the introduced possums in New Zealand.     

重组乳酸乳球菌滴鼻免疫小鼠后粘膜免疫特性及耐

乳酸菌NICE(乳链菌肽控制表达nisin controlled expression,NICE)系统可将治疗性蛋白或保护性抗原蛋白表达于细胞外或锚定于菌体的肽聚糖上,递呈抗原蛋白并激活粘膜免疫系统,刺激特异性s-IgA的产生使其作为粘膜免疫原递呈的活载体成为可能。本试验将构建的重组乳酸乳球菌PNZ8149/NZ3900-M/PRRS鼻腔免疫BALB/c小鼠,检测呼吸道粘膜中抗体s-IgA和血清中特异性抗体IgG含量,评价其动态变化情况,同时检测脾脏细胞因子IL-4和IL-10的活性。结果重组乳酸乳球菌PNZ8149/NZ3900-M/PRRS免疫小鼠后,在测定时间内重组菌试验组小鼠呼吸道粘膜中特异性s-IgA水平高于对照组,差异极显著((P<0.01);血清中特异性抗体IgG水显著高于对照组((P<0.01);脾脏细胞悬液中的IL-10和IL-4含量与对照组无差异性(p>0.05),结果表明重组菌PNZ8149/NZ3900-M/PRRS经粘膜途径免疫小鼠后能能刺激小鼠粘膜特异性抗体s-IgA和血清中特异性抗体IgG的分泌,且能避免粘膜免疫耐受的产生,为该重组疫苗的进一步应用奠定了理论基础。     

Active immunization against the proregions of GDF9 or BMP15 alters ovulation rate and litter size in mice

The transforming growth factor β (TGFB) superfamily proteins bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), are essential for mammalian fertility. Recent in vitro evidence suggests that the proregions of mouse BMP15 and GDF9 interact with their mature proteins after secretion. In this study, we have actively immunized mice against these proregions to test the potential in vivo roles on fertility. Mice were immunized with either N- or C-terminus proregion peptides of BMP15 or GDF9, or a full-length GDF9 proregion protein, each conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). For each immunization group, ovaries were collected from ten mice for histology after immunization, while a further 20 mice were allowed to breed and litter sizes were counted. To link the ovulation and fertility data of these two experimental end points, mice were joined during the time period identified by histology as being the ovulatory period resulting in to the corpora lutea (CL) counted. Antibody titers in sera increased throughout the study period, with no cross-reactivity observed between BMP15 and GDF9 sera and antigens. Compared with KLH controls, mice immunized with the N-terminus BMP15 proregion peptide had ovaries with fewer CL (P<0.05) and produced smaller litters (P<0.05). In contrast, mice immunized with the full-length GDF9 proregion not only had more CL (P<0.01) but also had significantly smaller litter sizes (P<0.01). None of the treatments affected the number of antral follicles per ovary. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the proregions of BMP15 and GDF9, after secretion by the oocyte, have physiologically important roles in regulating ovulation rate and litter size in mice.     

Development of mouse-specific contraceptive vaccines: infertility in mice immunized with peptide and polyepitope antigens

Mouse-specific immunocontraceptive peptides have been identified in mouse proteins with key roles in reproduction from sequence comparisons to other species and tested for efficacy as immunocontraceptive antigens. Peptides were derived from granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF), the placental 27 kDa heat-shock protein (HSP), leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR), oviduct glycoprotein (OGP), proliferin (PLF), prolactin (PRL), sperm protein SP56 and mouse zona pellucida subunits 1 and 3 (ZP1, ZP3). Fertility of female BALB/c mice was reduced after immunization with several peptides either conjugated to a carrier protein or in the form of recombinant polyepitopes. The most effective conjugated peptides (SP56, GMCSF and PRL) induced peptide-specific serum antibodies and reduced fertility by 50%. Fertility of mice was also reduced after immunization with polyepitope antigens containing up to five different peptides fused to maltose-binding protein, but antibodies were not produced against all the encoded peptides. The most effective polyepitope antigen (containing PLF, SP56, ZP1 and ZP3 peptides) reduced fertility by 50% but induced only SP56 and ZP1 antibodies. We demonstrate that lack of antibody response to a given peptide epitope (ZP3) can be overcome if repeated copies are used in the polyepitope antigen construct, but the effect varies between mouse strains. We conclude that infertility induced in mice with a range of peptide-based vaccines is dependent on antigen formulation and genetic factors but does not necessarily correlate with peptide-specific antibody levels. In light of these results, strategies to improve the efficacy of peptide-based antifertility vaccines are discussed.     

苏丹红Ⅰ结构类似物合成及其人工抗原的制备研究

采用重氮法合成苏丹红Ⅰ的结构类似物,通过活性酯法将其偶联到载体蛋白上制备人工抗原,竞争ELISA方法测定人工抗原的免疫原性。紫外可见光谱、红外光谱和核磁共振鉴定成苏丹红Ⅰ类似物合成成功并顺利偶联到载体蛋白上,免疫原性鉴定证明该人工抗原可刺激BALB/c小鼠产生苏丹红Ⅰ的抗体,表明苏丹红Ⅰ人工抗原制备成功。     

2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸人工抗原合成及鼠源多克隆抗血清的制备

采用碳化二亚胺法(EDC法)将2,4-D与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)及卵清蛋白(OVA)偶联,合成免疫原2,4-D-BSA和包被原2,4-D-OVA,采用紫外扫描(UV)和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)法进行鉴定;用2,4-D人工免疫抗原(2,4-D-BSA)免疫BALB/c纯系小鼠,采用间接ELISA测定多抗血清效价、阻断ELISA鉴定其抑制。结果表明:BSA与2,4-D偶联后,波峰出现右移,表明偶联成功;SDS-PAGE电泳中BSA的泳动速度大于2,4-D-BSA,表明2,4-D已与BSA成功偶联;6只小鼠血清效价均达到了1:1.28×104,且1号小鼠多抗血清敏感性最好,半数抑制IC50为72.48ng/mL,表明成功获得了高效价、特异性好、亲和力较高的鼠源抗2,4-D多克隆抗体血清,为2,4-D残留免疫学检测方法的建立奠定了良好的基础。     

Induction of oral tolerance, in mice, to gum arabic

As part of a programme of research on the immunological properties of the exudate gums, the capacity of gum arabic to induce immunologic hyporesponsiveness when fed (oral tolerance) has been examined. Inbred mice were fed saline or gum arabic; 1 week later all were systemically immunized with the antigen emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. Mice which had been fed the antigen had significant suppression of the humoral (P less than 0.01) and cell mediated (P less than 0.01) immune responses to the antigen. These results demonstrate that although gum arabic is a complex, proteinaceous polysaccharide antigen, it is tolerogenic when an animal encounters it by the natural route, via the gut.     

土霉素人工抗原的合成

以碳化二亚胺和戊二醛作为偶联剂，分别将土霉素(oxytetracycline，OTC)与牛血清白蛋白(bovine serum albumin，BSA)进行偶联，得到复合物OTC—BSA。对复合物紫外扫描显示其扫描谱图与BSA和上霉素的图谱有明显的差异，表明BSA与土霉素偶联。分析OTC—BSA中OTC与BSA的摩尔比，以碳化二亚胺为偶联剂时，OTC：BSA摩尔比为7．97：1，而以戊二醛作为偶联剂时仅为2．58：1，说明不同的偶联剂得到的的复合物之间存在较大的差异。以摩尔比为7．97：1的OTC—BSA免疫BALB／c小鼠65d后，间接ELISA检测测定效价达1：20000。     

Production of antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus serotypes 5, 8, and 336 using poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres

Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for a major portion of the economic losses due to mastitis. Attempts to produce a vaccine to prevent S. aureus mastitis have been hampered by the low immunogenicity of the polysaccharide, which forms on the surface of the organism when it enters the mammary gland. The polysaccharide inhibits phagocytosis and destruction of the organism by neutrophils. This study was conducted to determine if S. aureus polysaccharide serotypes 5, 8, and 336 conjugated to a protein and incorporated in poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres would enhance the production of opsonizing antibodies to the polysaccharide. Cows were immunized with either polysaccharide conjugates emulsified in Freund's incomplete adjuvant or polysaccharide conjugates encapsulated in poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres emulsified in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. All cows produced sustained antibody titers to the three polysaccharide serotypes. Cows immunized with microspheres had higher antibody titers. Cows in both groups produced increased concentrations of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies; neither group produced an increase in IgM. Immune sera from cows immunized with conjugates alone increased phagocytosis, which decreased at the end of the study. Sera from cows immunized with conjugates in microspheres increased phagocytosis, which was sustained at the end of the study. Immune sera from both groups decreased bacterial adherence to bovine mammary epithelial cells. These data showed that a single injection of antigen in microspheres produced higher titers and more sustained enhancement of phagocytosis, which could aid in the defense of the cow against S. aureus infections.     

副溶血性弧菌外膜蛋白VP1008和弧菌铁蛋白受体的重组表达及抗体交叉反应

目的:副溶血性弧菌特异性表面抗原对副溶血性弧菌免疫检测具有重要意义,目前外膜孔蛋白VP1008（39.3 kDa）和弧菌铁蛋白受体（78.7 kDa）的免疫原性仍不清楚。方法:从基因组DNA扩增了目的基因,分别构建了含目的基因的pET-28a（+）重组质粒,转入大肠杆菌BL21并经异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷（IPTG）诱导表达两种重组蛋白。采用镍柱纯化的重组蛋白分别免疫了BALB/c小鼠,并通过酶联免疫吸附反应（ELISA）和免疫印迹研究了小鼠多抗与不同株副溶血性弧菌、其它弧菌等菌株的交叉反应。结果:重组蛋白VP1008和弧菌铁蛋白受体均以包涵体形式表达,小鼠多抗与免疫的重组蛋白的效价>1000 K,与7株副溶血性弧菌的效价在4.5~13.5 K,与10株弧菌基本无交叉反应,与肠杆菌的交叉反应和纯化过程中大肠杆菌蛋白的微量残留有关;多抗均与副溶血性弧菌全菌蛋白在目标位置出现反应条带,其中VP1008多抗效价和免疫原性相对较好。结论:外膜蛋白VP1008小鼠多抗对副溶血性弧菌识别性、免疫原性较好,为建立新的副溶血性弧菌免疫检测方法奠定了基础。     

Assessment of contraceptive vaccines based on recombinant mouse sperm protein PH20

Mouse PH20 (mPH20), the mouse homologue to guinea pig hyaluronidase protein PH20 (gpPH20), was used to produce contraceptive vaccines that target both sexes of mice. Previously, immunization with a female gamete antigen (the zona pellucida subunit 3 protein) delivered in a recombinant murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), or as a purified recombinant protein, has been shown to induce infertility in female mice. There is evidence, however, that sperm protein antigens could provide broader contraceptive coverage by affecting both males and females, and the most promising has been gpPH20 when tested in a guinea pig model. Mice were therefore either inoculated with a recombinant MCMV expressing mPH20 or immunized directly with purified recombinant mPH20 protein fused to maltose-binding protein. Mice treated with either vaccine formulation developed serum antibodies that cross-reacted to a protein band of 55 kDa corresponding to mPH20 in Western blots of mouse sperm. However, there was no significant reduction in the fertility of males or females compared with control animals with either formulation. We conclude from our data that recombinant mPH20 is not a useful antigen for inclusion in immunocontraceptive vaccines that target mice.     

重金属铅多克隆抗体的制备及鉴定

目的：合成铅离子完全抗原,并对其进行鉴定;用合成的完全抗原免疫Balb/c 小鼠制备多克隆抗体,鉴定效价和特异性。方法：用双功能螯合剂p-SCN-Bn-DTPA 将Pb2+ 与载体蛋白BSA 和OVA 偶联在一起,合成免疫抗原(Pb-DTPA-BSA)和检测抗原(Pb-DTPA-OVA),并通过SDS-PAGE、紫外扫描、电感耦合等离子体(ICP) 检测抗原中Pb2+ 含量,以及通过免疫Balb/c 小鼠,采集血清进行间接ELISA 和竞争ELISA 检测。结果：两种合成的抗原相对于各自的载体蛋白均出现了蛋白条带滞后,紫外吸收峰偏移等现象;免疫的4 号和5 号Balb/c 小鼠的抗血清效价达1:400000;与OVA 无交叉反应,ELISA 检测IC50 值为1.5ng/mL,与Fe3+ 有近5% 的交叉反应,与其他重金属离子的交叉反应均小于1%。结论：铅离子多克隆抗体制备成功。     

芝麻过敏原油质蛋白O leosins单克隆抗体的制备与鉴定

利用细胞融合技术制备小鼠抗油质蛋白杂交瘤细胞,通过间接ELISA方法筛选稳定分泌特异性抗体的杂交瘤细胞株。获得10株杂交瘤细胞,分别命名为1B2、2D8、2F3、3A4、3D7、3F8、4A10、4F12、6A12、6E7,利用Ig亚类鉴定试剂盒鉴定各单克隆抗体的Ig亚型,除1B2、3D7、3F8为IgG1类外其余均为IgG2a类型。将杂交瘤细胞株注射入小鼠腹腔获取腹水,应用Protein A亲和层析法对腹水进行纯化。单抗效价有9株在2.0×105以上。ELISA和Western blotting分析表明这些单抗均能特异性识别芝麻过敏原油质蛋白。     

苏丹红Ⅰ单克隆抗体的制备及其间接竞争ELISA 检测

重氮法合成苏丹红Ⅰ的结构类似物,通过活性酯法将苏丹红Ⅰ的结构类似物偶联到载体蛋白上制备人工抗原,用所制备的人工抗原免疫BALB/c 小鼠,采用细胞融合的方法制备苏丹红Ⅰ单克隆抗体,结果成功筛选到一株抗苏丹红Ⅰ单克隆抗体,经鉴定为IgG2a 型,并建立间接竞争ELISA 检测方法,线性范围为0.5～10ng/mL,检测下限为0.1ng/mL,加标回收率为52.3%～110%,变异系数为3.2%～8.9%。     

基于单克隆抗体的双酚A半抗原直接包被的酶联免疫吸附法的建立

传统的人工抗原包被酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)依赖疏水相互作用将人工抗原与酶标板结合,会影响半抗原的呈现与识别,且多采用多克隆抗体为检测抗体,这些均会导致检测灵敏度下降和标准化难度增大。该研究选择双酚酸(BVA)作为双酚A(BPA)的半抗原与蛋白质偶联制备人工抗原免疫BALB/c小鼠,获得一株可分泌BPA单克隆抗体(MAb)的杂交瘤细胞株。利用3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷硅化处理酶标板,将BVA直接包被在酶标板上,建立了一种基于MAb的半抗原直接包被的BPA间接竞争ELISA法。该检测方法最低检测限IC10为0.29 ng/mL,半数抑制率IC50为5.4 ng/mL,水样中加标回收率为94.04%~102.31%。与人工抗原包被BPA ELISA检测方法(IC10:0.5 ng/mL,IC50:16.65 ng/mL,水样中加标回收率为89.72%~105.25%)相比,检测灵敏度显著性提高。     

Induction of specific immune response and suppression of fertility by B-cell-epitope-based mimovirus vaccine

SPINLW1 (previously known as eppin (epididymal protease inhibitor)) is a target under intense scrutiny in the study of male contraceptive vaccines. B-cell-dominant epitopes are now recognized as key parts of the induction of humoral immune responses against target antigens. The generation of robust humoral responses in vivo has become a crucial problem in the development of modern vaccines. In this study, we developed a completely novel B-cell-dominant-epitope-based mimovirus vaccine, which is a kind of virus-size particulate antigen delivery system. The mimovirus successfully self-assembled from a cationic peptide containing a cell-penetrating peptide of TAT49-57 and a plasmid DNA encoding both three SPINLW1 (103-115) copies and adjuvant C3d3. The male mice were immunized with the epitope-based mimovirus vaccine, which resulted in a gradual elevation of specific serum IgG antibody levels. These reached a peak at week 4. Mating for the fertility assay showed that the mimovirus vaccine had accomplished a moderate fertility inhibition effect and investigation into the mechanism of action showed that it did so by interfering with the reproductive function of the sperm but that it did not damage the structures of the testes or cause serum testosterone to decline. Our results suggest an ideal protocol for suppressing fertility in mice by an engineered mimovirus vaccine.     

吡虫啉残留酶联免疫吸附检测方法的建立

通过化学修饰合成吡虫啉(imidacloprid,IMI)人工半抗原,采用碳二亚胺法(EDC)将该抗原与牛血清蛋白和卵清蛋白偶联成功制备分子结合比合理的免疫抗原(IMI-BSA)和包被抗原(IMI-OVA)。对经IMI-BSA免疫的6周龄Balb/c实验鼠的免疫抗血清进行间接酶联免疫吸附和阻断酶联免疫吸附,初步探明抗吡虫啉多克隆抗体(IMI-pAb)的免疫学特性。在此基础上,采用聚乙二醇(PEG)介导细胞融合技术进行了免疫鼠脾细胞和骨髓瘤细胞融合,通过阳性杂交瘤细胞筛选和克隆化培养,获得3C8杂交瘤细胞株。结果显示:该3C8杂交瘤细胞株具有高效价、高亲和力和强特异性的特点;通过方阵滴定法确定最佳抗原包被浓度和最佳抗体稀释倍数,建立基于吡虫啉单克隆抗体(IMI-mAb)的IMI残留阻断酶联免疫吸附,其线性范围为7.48×10-6～3.24×10-4mg/mL(R2=0.9928),最低检测限为8.00×10-6mg/mL。