Development and evaluation of a novel DNA vaccine expressing inhibin α (1–32) fragment for improving the fertility in rats and sheep

Inhibin is an important protein hormone in regulating folliculogenesis. Immunization against inhibin can improve follicle developments. The objective of present study is to investigate inhibin DNA immunization as a potential tool for improving follicle development and litter sizes of female animals. In our study, the inhibin DNA vaccine was constructed with inhibin α (1–32) fragment inserted into the C termination of HBsAg-S. Ninety rats and forty sheep were immunized with inhibin DNA vaccine. In rats, immunization against inhibin resulted in increase of positive sera ratio (P < 0.01). The treatment was accompanied by a significant increase in the total number of mature follicles of >0.8 mm in diameter on the onset of estrous cycle after twice immunization (31.0 ± 3.9 in the test groups versus 27.4 ± 5 in control groups) and after third immunization (35.2 ± 6.7 in the test groups versus 30.3 ± 5.2 in control groups). Litter sizes were significantly (P < 0.05) bigger in rats treated with inhibin DNA vaccine (12.7 ± 4.5 n = 6) than in control (9.8 ± 4.5). In sheep, twinning rate in test groups (39.2%) was significantly higher than that in control groups (10%) after immunization (P < 0.05). These results indicated that inhibin was an important factor in improvement of fertility in rats and sheep, and demonstrated that DNA immunization against inhibin could induce more mature follicles resulting in increased litter sizes. Our results revealed that inhibin DNA vaccine may be an alternative to the use of exogenous gonadotrophins for increasing ovarian follicular development and improving animal fertility.