# IMMUNOBIOLOGICAL ROLE OF FERTILIZATION ANTIGEN FA-1

> **NIH NIH R01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 1994 · $157,645

## Abstract

A sperm-specific glycoprotein, the fertilization antigen (FA-1) has been
isolated and characterized from murine male germ cell plasma membranes,
tissue-specific but species-cross-reactive monoclonal antibody (MCA)
against which blocks fertilization of murine oocytes by murine sperm.  FA-1
causes a reduction of fertility in actively immunized female animals and is
involved in involuntary immunoinfertility in humans.  Recent data indicate
that FA-1 has a lectin binding activity, neutralizes sperm ligand activity
of purified porcine ZP3, does not have phosphotyrosine residues nor
autophosphorylating tyrosine kinase activity and is also involved in sperm
capacitation and/or acrosome reaction.  It was further found that the
functional epitope on FA-1 recognized by the monoclonal antibody is protein
and not carbohydrate moiety of the antigen.  In these studies FA-1 was
purified using MCA-immunoaffinity column, which yielded small quantity of
the antigen.  To obtain large quantity of recombinant FA-1 required for
further studies we propose to clone the murine gene for FA-1.  Monoclonal
and monospecific polyclonal antibodies against FA-1 will be used to screen
the existing murine testis lambdagt11 cDNA expression library, otherwise
additional lambdagt11 and lambdaZAPii cDNA expression libraries will be
raised for screening.  The immunoreactive clones will be subjected to
restriction mapping and sequenced.  Comparison of the nucleotide sequence
with the known peptide sequences of FA-1 will verify the authenticity of
the gene.  cDNA sequence will be investigated for homology with any known
sequence in Genbank and protein library database.  The tissue specific
expression and chromosomal assignment for FA-1 will be determined.  The
cDNA insert will be excised from lambdagt11 library, expressed in pGEM-11Zf
transcription vector and translated in vitro to obtain unfused protein.
The recombinant FA-1 will be immunoaffinity-purified, and investigated for
its authenticity and homogeneity using Western blot procedure and SDS-PAGE.
Female mice will be immunized against the recombinant FA-1 and sera and
vaginal fluids will be analyzed for anti-FA-1 antibodies.  The correlation
of the antibody titer with the fertility rates will be analyzed and the
animals will be kept for one year to study the reversibility of the
antifertility effects.  These studies will provide basis for investigating
the utility of recombinant FA-1 for regulation of fertility and infertility
in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199156
- **Project number:** 2R01HD024425-06
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** RAJESH K NAZ
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $157,645
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1988-12-01 → 1996-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199156

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199156, IMMUNOBIOLOGICAL ROLE OF FERTILIZATION ANTIGEN FA-1 (2R01HD024425-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199156. Licensed CC0.

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