Acrobeads Test Using Monoclonal Antibody-Coated Immunobeads: Clinical Application

Abstract

Acrosome-reacted sperm was examined in infertile and fertile males using the Acrobeads test. The Acrobeads score was significantly higher in fertile males than in infertile males with normal or abnormal seminal findings (p < .005 and p < .001, respectively). The Acrobeads score was 2 or more in all the fertile males, but 62% of the infertile males with abnormal seminal findings (p < .02). Therefore, a disturbance in the acrosome reaction is suggested to be one of the causes of decreased fertility potential. A high correlation was found between Acrobeads score and sperm motility (r = .46, p < .001) or motile sperm concentration (r = .51, p < .0001). The Acrobeads test, the results of which reflect the acrosome condition of the sperm, is useful in the assessment of sperm function related to fertility.

Relationship between substances in seminal plasma and Acrobeads Test∗ results

“…The results of tests with MH61 beads show good reproducibility and correlate with the results of sperm penetration assays with zona-free hamster eggs and IVF (7). The Acrobeads Test (Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries, Osaka, Japan), which exploits the MH61-bead assay, is used widely to evaluate comprehensively sperm acrosome status and sperm function (8)(9)(10). If we assume that the intratesticular environment in which spermatogenesis takes place is relatively stable, sperm function would be stable, and consequently the results of individual Acrobeads Test would be constant.…”

Sperm Nuclear Vacuoles in relation to Acrosome Reactions and Sperm Motility

“…Therefore, the acrosome status determined according to the Acrobeads test is a valuable parameter for estimating the capacity for fertilization in males with infertility. In our previous report, the Acrobeads score was found to be related to the sperm concentration and sperm motility in 81 ejaculates [27]. Komori et al reported that sperm motility and the percentage of sperm with an abnormal morphology had an effect on the Acrobeads test results in 114 ejaculates [33].…”

“…The Acrobeads test (FUSO Pharmaceutical Industries, Osaka, Japan) was performed according to the previously described method [23, 27] using immunobeads coated with MH61 monoclonal antibodies (MH61-beads) [28], which binds to the anterior portion of acrosome-reacted sperm. One hundred microliters of prepared sperm suspension was divided into a 96-well tissue culture plate (Corning, Corning, NY, USA).…”

Evaluation of Acrosome Reactivity Using the Acrobeads Test in Varicocele Patients: Findings Before and After Treatment

“…The pellet was washed twice in mBWW medium containing 0.3% human serum albumin (HSA) and then resuspended in mBWW medium containing 3.5% HSA at a sperm concentration of 40 Â 10 6 =mL. The Acrobeads test was performed according to the method described previously [8], using immunobeads coated with MH61 monoclonal antibody [14] (MH61-beads), which binds to the anterior portion of acrosome-reacted sperm. One hundred microliters of prepared sperm suspension was divided into a 96-well tissue culture plate (Corning, Corning, NY, USA).…”