What is it about?
We developed a minimal single-chain variable fragment (scFV) of IE-3, a fertilization-blocking monoclonal antibody that recognizes the mouse homolog of ZP2 — an essential egg coat protein conserved from amphibian to human. IE-3 scFV still stops fertilization in vitro, and determination of high-resolution 3D structures of its complex with ZP2 provides a template for the development of targeted non-hormonal contraceptives.
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Photo by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Most female contraceptives act through hormones, which can cause systemic side-effects and exclude a significant fraction of users. Our atomic-resolution data show exactly how IE-3 scFv recognises ZP2, offering a detailed blueprint for species-specific, non-hormonal contraception. Because an Fc-free scFv is effective, it avoids complement activation and other antibody-related risks, potentially accelerating progress toward both human and wildlife applications.
Perspectives
This is the first structural snapshot of an antibody bound to a key female-reproductive protein, and I hope that it will prove instrumental in developing a new generation of hormone-free contraceptives.
Professor Luca Jovine
Karolinska Institutet
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Structural basis of ZP2-targeted female nonhormonal contraception, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2426057122.
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