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Detection of Antispermatozoal Antibodies of IgA Class in Cervical Mucus
Author(s) -
CLARKE G.N.,
STOJANOFF A.,
CAUCHI M.N.,
McBAIN J.C.,
SPEIRS A.L.,
JOHNSTON W.I.H.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 0271-7352
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1984.tb00290.x
Subject(s) - mucus , sperm , immunoglobulin a , cervical mucus , antibody , immunology , biology , secretory iga , semen , immunoglobulin g , andrology , medicine , cervix , ecology , cancer
A simple procedure for detection of antisperm antibodies of IgA class in human cervical mucus is described and the results of its application to samples from 102 patients are presented. The results suggest that the IgA immunobead test (IgA‐IBT) is a specific and clinically useful test for sperm antibodies. There was a strong correlation between the IgA‐IBT and the presence of complement‐dependent sperm immobilization in serum (Spearman's, r = 0.92, p < 0.001). Positive IgA‐IBT results occurred only in mucus samples that showed poor penetration by normal sperm. An added advantage of the IgA‐IBT is that both the immunoglobulin class and the site of binding to the sperm surface can be determined simultaneously.