THE EFFECT OF IMMUNIZING DOGS AGAINST AN ANDROGEN-BINDING CAUDA EPIDIDYMAL ANTIGEN (CABA)

A protein with the capacity to bind [3H] testosterone was prepared fro m cauda epididymides of 60 dogs. Antibodies against the protein were g enerated in goats and purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, col umn chromatography and tissue adsorption. Passive immunization of male dogs with the purified antibody resulted in disruption of the epithel ium of the cauda epididymis, but epithelia of the caput and corpus epi didymides remained normal. There was also evidence of considerable tes ticular damage. It is suggested that the results point to the possibil ity that specific epididymal proteins could be utilized in the develop ment of immunocontraceptive vaccines for use in fertility control in d omestic and wild species.