Antigen for early pregnancy test and contraceptive vaccine

Claim 2

An antigen which is capable of being administered to a host animal to induce an antibody response which is generally selective to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, which comprises a β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin which has been reduced such that five of the intrachain disulfide bonds are cleaved, and wherein said cleaved disulfide bonds have been alkylated, and wherein said subunit is futher conjugated with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen.

Claim 3

The antigen of claim 1, wherein said antigen is further modified by a reaction of the terminal carboxy group thereof with a nucleophile.

Claim 4

The antigen of claim 2, wherein said nucleophile is selected from the group consisting of tyrosine ethyl ester and glycine ethyl ester.

Claim 5

An antigen which is capable of being administered to a host animal to induce an antibody response which is generally selective to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, which comprises a β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin which has been reduced such that five of the intrachain disulfide bonds are cleaved, and wherein said cleaved disulfide bonds have been alkylated, and wherein said subunit is further conjugated with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen, wherein said protein or hapten is selected from the group consisting of albumin, hemocyanin, thyroglobulin and muramyl alanyl isoglutamine.

Claim 6

An antigen which is capable of being administered to a host animal to induce an antibody response which is generally selective to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, which comprises a β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin which has been reduced such that five of the intrachain disulfide bonds are cleaved, and wherein said cleaved disulfide bonds have been alkylated, and wherein said subunit is further conjugated with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen, wherein said protein or hapten is selected from the group consisting of albumin, hemocyanin, thyroglobulin and muramyl alanyl isoglutamine.

Claim 7

The antigen of claim 4, wherein said antigen is further modified by a reaction of the terminal carboxy group thereof with a nucleophile.

Claim 8

The antigen of claim 5, wherein said nucleophile is selected from the group consisting of tyrosine ethyl ester and glycine ethyl ester.

Claim 9

An antiserum which is generally selective in reactivity to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, which is produced by the process comprising: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the thus reduced intrachain disulfide groups, and conjugating said β-subunit with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen, either of said reducing, cleaving, and alkylating and said conjugating being carried out first, isolating said antigen, administering said antigen to a host animal whereby said animal generates an antibody response to said antigen, and extracting said antiserum from said animal.

Claim 10

An antiserum which is generally selective in reactivity to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, which is produced by the process comprising: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the thus reduced intrachain disulfide groups, and conjugating said β-subunit with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen, either of said reducing, cleaving, and alkylating and said conjugating being carried out first, isolating said antigen, administering said antigen to a host animal whereby said animal generates an antibody response to said antigen, and extracting said antiserum from said animal.

Claim 11

The antiserum of claim 7, wherein said protein or hapten is selected from the group consisting of albumin, hemocyanin, thyroglobulin and muramyl alanyl isoglutamine.

Claim 12

The antiserum of claim 7, wherein said antigen is further modified by a reaction of the terminal carboxy group thereof with a nucleophile.

Claim 13

The antiserum of claim 9, wherein said nucleophile is selected from the group consisting of tyrosine ethyl ester and glycine ethyl ester.

Claim 14

A process for producing an antigen which is capable of being administered to a host animal to induce an antibody response which is generally selective to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, comprising: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the thus reduced intrachain disulfide groups, conjugating said antigen with a protein or hapten to enhance its immunogenetic specificity and isolating the antigen produced thereby.

Claim 15

A process for producing an antigen which is capable of being administered to a host animal to induce an antibody response which is generally selective to human chorionic gonadotropin to a distinguishing degree from luteinizing hormone, comprising: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the thus reduced intrachain disulfide groups, conjugating said antigen with a protein or hapten to enhance its immunogenetic specificity and isolating the antigen produced thereby.

Claim 16

The process of claim 11, wherein said protein or hapten is selected from the group consisting of albumin, hemocyanin, thyroglobulin and muramyl alanyl isoglutamine.

Claim 17

The process of claim 11, wherein said antigen is further modified by a reaction of the terminal carboxy group thereof with a nucleophile.

Claim 18

The process of claim 13, wherein said nucleophile is selected from the group consisting of tyrosine ethyl ester and glycine ethyl ester.

Claim 19

The process of claim 11, wherein aid β-subunit is purified by dissociating human chorionic gonadotropin into α- and β-subunits with a 10 Molar aqueous urea solution, chromatographing said dissociated human chorionic gonadotropin successively on columns of a cross-linked modified polysaccharide using a step-wise gradient, and crosslinked polydextran, whereby said β-subunit is isolated, and subsequently treating the isolated β-subunit with an immunoadsorbent capable of adsorbing said α-subunit.

Claim 20

An antibody comprising an antiserum coated on a solid support generally selective in reactivity to hCG to a distinguishing degree from LH wherein said antibody is produced by a process which comprises: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the reduced intrachain disulfide groups, conjugating said β-subunit with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen; isolating said antigen; administering said antigen to a host animal, whereby said animal generates an antibody response to said antigen; and extracting said antiserum from said animal.

Claim 21

An antibody comprising an antiserum coated on a solid support generally selective in reactivity to hCG to a distinguishing degree from LH wherein said antibody is produced by a process which comprises: isolating the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, reducing and cleaving five of the intrachain disulfide bonds of said β-subunit, alkylating the reduced intrachain disulfide groups, conjugating said β-subunit with a protein or hapten which enhances the immunogenetic specificity of said antigen; isolating said antigen; administering said antigen to a host animal, whereby said animal generates an antibody response to said antigen; and extracting said antiserum from said animal.

Claim 22

The bound antibody of claim 16, wherein said solid support is a polystyrene tube.