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Objective: To evaluate the effects of cyclic QDE peptide (cQDE), derived from sperm fertilin beta (ADAM2), in mouse in vitro fertilization (IVF) and its harmlessness on pups after embryo transfer. Design: Prospective in vivo and in vitro study in mice. Setting: Murine model in an academic research environment in France. Animal(s): Normal B6CBF1 mice. Intervention(s): Indirect immunofluorescence was used to evaluate cQDE binding to oolemma. The IVF assays were run in presence of the species-specific tripeptide (cQDE at 100 microM), and embryos were transferred in pseudopregnant mice. Controls were obtained by natural mating and IVF in regular medium followed by embryo transfer. Main Outcome Measure(s): Evaluation of fertilization, litter size, pup fertility and health. Result(s): Biotinylated cQDE peptide binds to oocyte plasma membrane and increases gamete fusion in cumulus-intact IVF assay. Litter size as well as pup development after embryo transfer showed no statistically significant differences compared with controls. Pups born from embryos that were incubated with the peptide were as healthy and normally fertile as control mice over at least three generations. Conclusion(s): Cyclic QDE is harmless and improves mouse IVF pregnancy rates. A randomized prospective clinical trial to evaluate the beneficial effect of cyclic FEE on human IVF is required before its clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To detect the presence of antibodies to the proacrosin/acrosin system and to evaluate their effect on the sperm acrosomal protein activities in women consulting for infertility. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Basic research laboratory. Patient(s): Recombinant proteins derived from human proacrosin (Rec-40, Rec-30, Rec-20, Rec-10) and recombinant human zona pellucida (ZP) glycoprotein A ∗ [∗] Also named as ZP2 (Symbol report: ZP2. Human Genome Organizaion [HUGO]. Gene Nomenclature Committee, April 25, 2005, http://www.gene.ucl.ac.uk/nomenclature/data/get_data.php?hgnc_id=13188, September 6, 2005.) (rec-hZPA). Intervention(s): Development of an ELISA-Acro to test for antiacrosin antibodies using Rec-40 and truncated acrosin proteins as antigens. Main outcome measure(s): Evaluation of: 1) the presence of antiacrosin antibodies; 2) the protein regions recognized by the antibodies; 3) the relationship between antiacrosin antibodies and surface antisperm antibodies (ASA) identified by the immunobead binding test (IBT); and 4) the effect of antiacrosin antibodies upon proacrosin/acrosin binding activity to ZPA and acrosin amidase activity. Result(s): Antiacrosin antibodies were detected in sera from 34 of 179 women (19%). Detection of ASA by the IBT resulted in a similar incidence (36 of 179, 20%), although only six of them showed correspondence between both assays; five of these six sera were IBT-positive IgGs to the sperm head. Antiacrosin antibodies directed toward different protein regions inhibited proacrosin binding activity to rec-hZPA as well as its activation and acrosin amidase activity in protein sperm extracts. Conclusion(s): Antiacrosin antibodies are present in sera of women consulting for infertility in both IBT-positive and IBT-negative samples, and they affect proacrosin/acrosin activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]