STUDIES ON THE DELINEATION OF THE HORMONE-SPECIFIC ANTIGENIC DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE

Human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH) is a key hormone regulating both male and female reproduction. The present study attempts to delin eate the hFSH-specific antigenic determinants on its beta-subunit. Pre dictive methods were used to identify the potential surface-oriented r egions of hFSH-beta. Peptides corresponding to these regions, namely, 31-52, 66-75 and 86-95 hFSH-beta, were synthesized and conjugated to d iphtheria toxoid. Antipeptide antibodies, elicited in rabbits by immun ization with the conjugates, were screened for their ability to bind t o hFSH-beta and hFSH. Anti-31-52 hFSH-beta antisera bound to both hFSH -beta and hFSH, whereas anti-66-75 and anti-86-95 hFSH-beta antisera d id not show any detectable binding. Furthermore, screening of anti-hFS H antisera showed significant binding only to 31-52 hFSH-beta. These r esults identify the region 31-52 hFSH-beta as a hormone-specific antig enic determinant of hFSH.