Totally synthetic peptide-based immunocontraceptive vaccines show activity in dogs of different breeds

Abstract

In this study we examine the immunogenicity of totally synthetic peptide-based immunocontraceptive vaccines in dogs. Seven individual epitope-based vaccines were assembled in which a different T helper (TH) cell epitope derived from the sequence of F protein of canine distemper virus was synthesized in tandem with a peptide representing luteinising hormone releasing hormone (LHRH). Each of the individual TH-LHRH peptide vaccines was inoculated subcutaneously into dogs. The results demonstrate that five of the seven peptide vaccines were able to elicit strong anti-LHRH antibody responses in beagle foxhounds accompanied by a concomitant suppression in the levels of the hormones testosterone an..