Parenteral administration of GnRH constructs and adjuvants: Immune responses and effects on reproductive tissues of male mice

Two gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) constructs prepared by either chemical conjugation to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (GnRH-KLH) or as an expressed recombinant fusion protein (Multimer) were evaluated with or without adjuvants (immunostimulating complexes, ISCOMs, or cytosine-phosphate-guanosine oligodeoxynucleotides, CpG ODNs). After subcutaneous administration to Balb/c male mice at Weeks 0, 2 and 4, these preparations were assessed for induction of immune responses and effects on reproductive organs. GnRH-KLH plus ISCOMs formulation induced strong IgG immune responses from Week 4 through Week 12 resulting in consistent reproductive organ atrophy by Week 12 after subcutaneous administration. GnRH-KLH plus CpG ODNs generated immune responses but no atrophy of reproductive tissues by Week 12. Multimer plus ISCOMs induced poor immune responses and no effects on reproductive tissues by Week 12. In the absence of additional adjuvant, none of the GnRH constructs induced reproductive organ atrophy. GnRH-KLH induced stronger immune responses when formulated with ISCOMs or CpG ODN compared to Multimer. GnRH-KLH with ISCOMs could be an effective colloidal alternative for emulsion GnRH vaccine formulations.