IMMUNIZATION OF MONKEYS WITH RECOMBINANT COMPLIMENTARY DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC-ACID EXPRESSED ZONA-PELLUCIDA PROTEINS

Objective: To evaluate the effects of immunization with zona pellucida (ZP) proteins produced by recombinant complementary DNA (cDNA) techno logy for the elicitation and antibodies that inhibit sperm binding wit hout altering ovarian function in the nonhuman primate. Design: Contro lled nonhuman primate study. Setting: Controlled environment with indi vidual housing of monkeys in facility approved by National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines. Participants: Monkeys housed and treated a ccording to NIH regulations. Interventions: Monkeys immunized and boos ted at regular intervals with ZP proteins produced using recombinant c DNA techniques. Main Outcome Measure: Urinary estrogen, P, serum antib ody levels, sperm-ZP binding, and ovarian morphology. Results: Monkeys immunized with a recombinant rabbit 75-kd ZP protein expressed from a partial cDNA in the pEX bacteria expression system produce antibodies that interfere with ovarian follicular development and ovarian cyclic ity. On the contrary, monkeys immunized with a recombinant rabbit 55-k d ZP protein develop antibodies that inhibit homologous sperm binding but do not affect ovarian follicular development or subsequent ovarian hormonal cyclicity. Conclusion: Monkey antibodies to the rabbit 75-kd ZP recombinant protein can be generated that inhibit ovarian cyclicit y as desired for animal sterilization vaccines. Antibodies to the 55-k d ZP recombinant protein inhibit homologous monkey sperm binding to th e ZP without altering ovarian endocrine function or morphology as is d esired for human immunocontraception.