Discriminatory effect of anti-Pr-beta-hCG-TT antibodies on the neutralization of the biological activity of placental and pituitary gonadotropins
Das, C.; Talwar, G.P.; Ramakrishnan, S.; Salahuddin, M.; Kumar, S.; Hingorani, V.; Coutinho, E.; Croxatto, H.; Hemmingson, E.; Johansson, E.; Luukkainen, T.; Shahani, S.; Sundaram, K.; Nash, H.; Segal, S.J.
Contraception 18(1): 35-50
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0010-7824 PMID: 98287 DOI: 10.1016/0010-7824(78)90100-2Document Number: 439218
In 2 test systems, serum from monkeys and human subjects immunized with an anti-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) vaccine, Pr-beta-hCG-TT, were analyzed for their capacities to neutralize hCG/luteinizing hormone (LH)-induced biological effects. hCG-induced ovulation was completely blocked by the monkey antiserum in mice, but the same amount of antiserum, and even 2-fold greater concentrations, did not reduce the number of ovulating animals when primed with ovine LH. Competency of both the immunized monkey and human sera to neutralize the hCG-induced testosterone production in Leydig cells was shown. All monkey and 7/12 human sera did not interfere with the human LH action on Leydig cells. 5 human sera, however, showed varying degrees of inhibition of human LH-induced sterodogesnesis by this sensitive Leydig cell bioassay. Nevertheless, these subjects maintained regular menstrual cycles, and serum progesterone levels during the luteal phase were consistent with ovulation. Normal hormone profiles were constructed from a subject whose serum had shown a fairly high degree of cross-reaction with human LH by the Leydig cell bioassay when estradiol, human LH, and progesterone levels were determined on different days throughout the menstrual cycle.