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Blocking of Pregnancy in Mice by Immunization With Anti-Idiotype Directed Against Monoclonal Anti-Progesterone Antibody

Blocking of Pregnancy in Mice by Immunization With Anti-Idiotype Directed Against Monoclonal Anti-Progesterone Antibody

M W Wang, R B Heap, M J Taussig

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Sep;86(18):7098-102.

PMID: 2780564

Abstract:

Passive transfer of monoclonal anti-progesterone antibodies shortly after mating blocks the onset of pregnancy in different species (mouse, rat, and ferret). Here we report that BALB/c mice can be actively immunized against progesterone, and hence against pregnancy, by means of rabbit anti-idiotypic antibodies specific for a mouse monoclonal anti-progesterone antibody, DB3. Some of the anti-idiotypic antibodies reacted with the steroid-combining site on the DB3 molecule. In response to repeated anti-idiotypic immunization, mice produced serum anti-progesterone antibodies (up to 100 micrograms/ml) that resembled DB3 in idiotypy, affinity, and specificity for progesterone and other steroid ligands. Thus an anti-idiotype can mimic the antigenicity of a steroid hormone with a high degree of accuracy. Compared with immunization with a progesterone-bovine serum albumin conjugate, the anti-progesterone response to anti-idiotype was considerably lower and clonally restricted. When mated after completion of the immunization course, the fertility rate of anti-idiotype-immunized mice was reduced to 30% from a control level of 91%. The anti-fertility effect was correlated with the circulating anti-progesterone concentration in individual animals and persisted for 4 or 5 estrous cycles. Active immunization with progesterone-bovine serum albumin was a highly effective means of rendering mice infertile; it reduced the fertility rate to zero over 16 or 17 estrous cycles. Our results suggest that anti-idiotypes may form the basis of contraceptive vaccines.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
IAR42417017	Anti-phospho-ADAM 17 (pThr735) antibody produced in rabbit			Price

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