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Lack of Complement Activation in the Seminal Plasma of Men With Antisperm Antibodies Associated In Vivo on Their Sperm
Author(s) -
D'CRUZ OSMOND J.,
HAAS GILBERT G.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1990.tb01038.x
Subject(s) - sperm , polyclonal antibodies , complement system , andrology , antibody , in vivo , monoclonal antibody , flow cytometry , monoclonal , biology , immunology , endocrinology , chemistry , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology
A specific and sensitive “sandwich”‐type radiolabeled antiglobulin assay (RAA) using monoclonal anti‐human C5b‐9 neoantigen and polyclonal anti‐human C5b‐9 was used to evaluate the presence of the in vivo product of human complement (C) activation (SC5b‐9) in the seminal plasma (SP) of 19 fertile and 61 infertile men. SP SC5b‐9 was detectable in 7 (8.7%; 1 fertile and 6 infertile men) of the 80 men with a range of 10 to 175 ng/ml. Levels of SP SC5b‐9 in other men were below the limit of detection (less than 10 ng/ml). Of the 33 infertile men with sperm‐associated immunoglobulin (Ig) G and/or IgA, 27 (82%) had undetectable levels of SP SC5b‐9 immunoreactivity. There was no correlation between the SP SC5b‐9 levels and the degree of sperm‐associated IgG (r = 0.086) or IgA (r = 0.23) activity. However, significant deposition of sperm‐bound C5b‐9 due to autologous C activation was demonstrated by flow cytometry of donor sperm treated with sera from autoimmune men with ASA in their sera and on their sperm. These findings suggest that sperm‐bound Ig cannot activate C in SP.