BIOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GONADOTROPHIC PROFILES

ABSTRACT The studies of Robyn et al. (1968) and Robyn & Diczfalusy (1968a,b) indicate that the characterization of the biological and immunological profiles of gonadotrophin preparations and antigonadotrophic sera, respectively, permits selective and complete neutralization of a given gonadotrophic activity and preparation of biologically pure gonadotrophins; selective neutralization of a given antigonadotrophic activity and preparation of biologically monospecific antigonadotrophic sera. Experimental work directed towards the above two goals is presented. Complete neutralization of a given HCG* activity, selective neutralization of the FSH-like activity present in HCG preparations and selective neutralization of the LH activity present in HMG preparations was demonstrated and the biological effects of the FSH-free HCG and LH-free FSH were studied. To facilitate the quantitative neutralization of certain antibodies present in heterospecific antisera, a new bioassay system is described for the estimation of the antigonadotrophin neutralizing potency of gonadotrophin preparations. The comparison of the anti-FSH neutralizing potencies of several HCG, HMG and HPG preparations indicates, that the anti-FSH neutralizing factor is not necessarily associated with the biological FSH activity. To improve the specificity of both antigens and antisera, it seems necessary to study – in addition to the biological characteristics – the antiserum neutralizing potency of gonadotrophins.