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Male antisperm antibodies: association with a modified sperm stress test and lipid peroxidation
Author(s) -
Calamera J. C.,
Doncel G. F.,
BrugoOlmedo S.,
Sayago A.,
Acosta A. A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1046/j.0303-4569.2001.00467.x
Subject(s) - semen , sperm , infertility , lipid peroxidation , medicine , andrology , semen analysis , male infertility , incubation , physiology , oxidative stress , biology , pregnancy , biochemistry , genetics
Summary. We previously reported a modified sperm stress test (MOST), low scores (< 0.39) in which were associated with sperm‐related abnormal in vitro fertilization. Preliminary observations suggested that the presence of male sperm antibodies (ASA) could give low MOST scores. It was therefore decided to undertake a study to verify this possible association and also to ascertain if such a relationship was causal in nature. Six hundred and fifty semen samples from patients consulting for infertility were assessed for basic seminal characteristics, motion parameters (CASA), ASA and MOST. Thirty‐nine samples (6%) were ASA‐positive. Samples with and without ASA showed similar characteristics, except for percentage of normal forms and MOST scores (0.35 ± 0.03 vs. 0.67 ± 0.01, P < 0.001, for ASA‐positive and ‐negative, respectively). There was a strong statistical association between presence of ASA and low MOST scores ( P < 0.0001). One‐hundred per cent of ASA‐positive samples displayed low MOST scores. To verify the nature of this relationship, we incubated ASA‐free spermatozoa with ASA‐positive and ‐negative (control) sera. Despite an increase in the percentage of ASA‐bearing spermatozoa in those aliquots incubated with ASA‐positive serum, their original (pre‐incubation) MOST scores remained unchanged. Furthermore, the rate of lipid peroxidation, indirectly reflected in MOST scores, was not different in the aliquots incubated with ASA. In conclusion, there seems to be a strong association between presence of ASA and low MOST values in semen samples of infertile patients; however, the relationship does not appear to be causal.