The identification of candidate antigens for the development of birth control vaccines. An international multi-centre study on antibodies to reproductive tract antigens, using clinically defined sera.

In an attempt to identify appropriate antigens for birth control vaccines, the Task Force on Immunological Methods for Fertility Regulation under WHO's Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction carried out an investigation of naturally occurring immune responses to reproductive tract antigens which were consistently associated with infertility. Large volumes of sera from subjects satisfying the criteria for one of 16 different clinical categories (listed in Table 1) were collected and samples were subsequently assessed, under code, by investigators with experience in the detection of antibodies to antigens involved in the reproductive process. Sera from 329 persons were included in the study and 20 laboratories examined the sera for antibodies to sperm, zona pellucida, and trophoblast or trophoblast products. In addition, antibodies to certain microbial antigens and to various leucocyte and organ antigens were investigated. The results of these studies are presented in the following papers.