人绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)是胎盘绒毛膜合体滋养层细胞所分泌的一种糖蛋白激素,对早期妊娠的维持起重要的作用。从70年代初开始,人们为了研制避孕疫苗,对hCG、hCG-β亚单位(hCG-β)及其C 端多肽进行了广泛、大量的研究。本文简略介绍该研究的近况。一、hCG-β亚单位疫苗hCG 是由α和β两个亚单位组成,α亚单位与黄体生成素(hLH)、促甲状腺素(TSH)和卵泡刺激素(FSH)等激素的α亚单位相同,所以,用全hCG 分子免疫动物和人,就会与这几种激素发生交叉反应,导致严重的副作用;β亚单位在结构上与这些激素差异较大,因而具有一定的免疫特异性。Hearn 用hCG-β给狨猴主动免疫,能产生hCG 抗体,使早期妊娠的胚胎流产、中期妊娠胚胎吸收,对晚期妊娠则无作用;用其抗血清 Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a glycoprotein hormone secreted by placental chorion trophoblast cells, plays an important role in the maintenance of early pregnancy. Since the early 1970s, a large number of studies have been conducted on hCG, hCG-β subunit (hCG-β) and its C-terminal polypeptide in order to develop a contraceptive vaccine. This article briefly introduces the current status of the study. First, the hCG-β subunit vaccine hCG is composed of two subunits α and β. The α subunit and the α subunit of hormones such as luteinizing hormone (hLH), thyrotropin (TSH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) Therefore, immunization of animals and humans with whole hCG molecules will cross-react with these hormones and lead to serious side effects. The β subunit is structurally different from these hormones and thus has some immunospecificity. Hearn with hCG-β to marmosets active immunization, can produce hCG antibodies, so that early pregnancy embryos abortion, mid-term pregnancy embryonic absorption, no effect on late pregnancy; with its antiserum