Effect of monoclonal antibodies against human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the phenotype of male and female offspring of transgenic mice

MARCIAL LOPEZ A; RATNER LD; CAMILLETTI MA; DIAZ-TORGA G; CALANDRA RS; RULLI, SB; MARCIAL LOPEZ A; RATNER LD; CAMILLETTI MA; DIAZ-TORGA G; CALANDRA RS; RULLI, SB

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXI Reunión de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica, SAIC.; 2016

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is normally secreted by the placenta of humans and primates, but is absent in mice. It stimulates the production of progesterone by the corpus luteum, and is involved in many other functions during placentation and fetal development. Transgenic female mice secreting hCG (hCGβ+) are infertile, obese, produce high levels of progesterone, testosterone and prolactin, and develop pituitary and mammary tumors. Males are fertile, but show increased body weight and reduced testis size. We have previously recovered fertility from these females through a treatment with monoclonal antibodies anti-hCG with neutralizing capacity (mAb-hCG; SAIC 2015). The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the mAb-hCG treatment, which spans the gestational state of hCGβ+ mothers, on the reproductive phenotype of the offspring. hCGβ+ females treated with mAb-hCG (300 μg/mouse/dose; once a week from 5 weeks until two months of age), were mated with wild-type (WT) males two days after the last injection, and male and female offspring were studied at adulthood. Body, gonadal and pituitary weight, prolactin levels, fertility studies, and the presence of tumors were analyzed. WT and hCGβ+ mice were used as controls. Female hCGβ+ offspring showed no differences in the body weight. Ovarian and pituitary weight, as well as prolactin levels were reduced, as compared with control hCGβ+ (p