CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS RELATED TO PROTEASOMAL INTERFERENCE

摘要

The present invention concerns the use of compositions and methods of regulating or evaluating fertility in an animal, in particular a mammal. In various embodiments of the invention, methods of contraception include inhibiting proteasome activity of a gamete, in particular spermatozoon. Proteasomal activity may be inhibited in vitro or in vivo. Inhibitors of the proteasome pathway include, but are not limited to small molecules, peptides, polypeptides (e.g., antibodies and the like) and affinity reagents that bind various components of the proteasome pathway (e.g., aptamers, etc.). In some embodiments, the activity of the proteasome pathway or the activity of a component in the proteasome pathway is inhibited by antibodies that bind and inhibit one or more components of the proteasome pathway.