
%0 Journal Article
%A Hardy, C. M. 
%A Have, J. F. M. ten 
%A Mobbs, K. J. 
%A Hinds, L. A. 
%T Assessment of the immunocontraceptive effect of a zona pellucida 3 peptide antigen in wild mice
%J Reproduction, Fertility and Development
%D 2002/06/05
%V 14
%N 3
%P 151-155
%K fertility control, immunocontraceptive vaccine, ZP3.
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/RD01112
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/RD01112 
%X Immunizing laboratory mice against a short peptide to mouse zona pellucida protein 3 (mZP3; amino acids 328-342) reduces fertility in some strains. This antigen was therefore tested to see if it is suitable for use in an immunocontraceptive vaccine to control wild mice. Mouse zona pellucida protein 3 peptide conjugated to a carrier protein (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) was considerably more immunogenic and effective in reducing fertility in wild mice when compared with inbred BALB/c mice. Fertility of the immunized wild mice was reduced by over 50% compared with controls, whereas BALB/c mice showed no reduction. Variation in the responses between individual animals to mZP3 peptide was observed and infertility correlated to the presence of cross-reacting antibodies to native zona pellucida in wild, but not BALB/c, mice. 
