Eliciting an immune response by plasmid DNA encoding a human sperm protein(HSD-1)

The cDNA encoding a human sperm membrane designated as HSD-1 was isolated f rom a human testis lambda gt11 cDNA expression library and assigned the acc ession number U12978 by GenBank. HSD-1 was conjugated to an eukaryotic expr ession plasmid (pRSV) to construct the recombinant plasmid pRSV-HSD-1. Fema le mice were inoculated intramuscularly with the plasmid DNA and the expres sion of HSD-1 was determined. HSD-1 mRNAs were detected in myocytes and end omysial connective tissue cells of the quadriceps muscle by in situ hybridi zation. Spleen of inoculated animals contained an increased number of cytot oxic T lymphocytes, phagocytes, and plasma cells. Fertility of the treated animals was not affected. Thus, intramuscular inoculation of female mice wi th the plasmid DNA (pRSV-HSD-1) results in the expression of HSD-1 and may elicit a tissue-mediated immune response.