CHEMISTRY OF GONADOTROPHINS IN RELATION TO THEIR ANTIGENIC PROPERTIES

Abstract

ABSTRACT Several chemical differences between FSH, LH and HCG have been reported: thus LH and HCG are richer in proline than FSH and FSH and HCG contain more N-acetyl neuraminic acid than LH. Sub-units of LH are formed by treatment with urea, guanidine or acid. HCG also may contain two sub-units. The sub-units from LH are biologically inert but retain their immunological activity: biological activity is restored when the sub-units are incubated together. There is much evidence from chemical and enzymic reactions that antigenic groups are distinct from those parts of the molecule essential for biological activity. N-acetyl neuraminic acid and probably other carbohydrates in FSH and HCG are not involved in immunological activity but are necessary for biological activity. Histidine, methionine and possibly cysteine appear to be essential for biological but not immunological activity of FSH, while tryptophan and possibly tyrosine are not essential for either. A few highly specific antisera to gonadotrophins have been prepared in rabbits and guinea pigs to crude antigens: there is no evidence that purified antigens are more likely to produce specific antisera. Differences in the immunological reactivities of urinary compared with pituitary gonadotrophins have been observed both by radioimmunoassay and by the complement fixation technique. The latter may be particularly useful for detecting structural differences in the hormones.