Identification of human sperm antigens reacting with antisperm antibodies from sera and genital tract secretions

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 593 - 598
• Main Authors: Shai, Shafrira, Naot, Yehudith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.09.1992; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Antisperm antibodies; Autoantibodies - blood; Autoantibodies - immunology; Autoantigens - analysis; Autoantigens - chemistry; Autoantigens - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Genitalia - immunology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; immune infertility; Immunoblotting; Infertility - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Molecular Weight; sperm antigens; Spermatozoa - immunology; immune infertility; sperm antigens; Antisperm antibodies; Human; Immunopathology; Spermatozoa; Autoantibody; Exploration; Male; Genital diseases; Result; Antigen; Pathology; Adult; Male sterility; Technique; Male genital diseases
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)55269-8

To identify sperm antigens reacting with antisperm antibodies relevant in human infertility. The reactions of separated sperm antigens with antibodies present in sera and genital tract secretions from infertile and fertile females and males were examined by immunoblotting techniques. The patients were followed in an outpatient setting of a hospital clinic. One hundred consecutive infertile males and females, referred for determinations of antisperm antibodies, comprised the study group. Fifty hospital and faculty employees with proven fertility served as a control group. A high proportion of sera from fertile and infertile humans contained antibodies reacting with at least one sperm antigen. However, two discrete bands of antigenic proteins with molecular weights of 44 and 72 kd reacted significantly more frequently with serum antibodies from infertile females than from fertile females. No apparent correlation could be demonstrated between any particular antigen and serum antibodies from infertile males. Nevertheless, antigenic proteins of 62 kd were identified as the major sperm antigens reacting with antibodies present in seminal plasmas from infertile males. The major sperm antigens reacting with systemic antibodies differ from the antigens recognized by local antisperm antibodies. Sperm antigens exhibiting relative molecular weights of 62 kd are major antigens reactive with local antisperm antibodies from infertile humans.