Problem: This study is a review of antisperm contraceptive vaccine (CV) development with the main focus on research going on in our laboratory.
Method of study: Various methods of proteomics and genomics, hybridoma technology, substractive libraries, differential display method, and phage display technology were used to obtain sperm-specific genes and proteins. The present study will primarily focus on the sequences obtained by using the phage display technology and their role in CV development and human immunoinfertility.
Result: Four novel peptides, delineated by using the phage display technology, were found to be involved in human immunoinfertility. The vaccine based on one of these peptides, designated as YLP(12), caused a reversible contraception in female mice.
Conclusions: The vaccine targeting sperm is a feasible and exciting approach to contraception. The phage display technology is a powerful tool to delineate sperm-specific peptide sequences that can be used for the CV development and in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility mediated through antisperm antibodies.