Decreased Fertility in Female Mice Immunized With a Carrier Followed by Small Numbers of Spermatozoa

Abstract

It has been conclusively shown that immunization of female mice with spermatozoa can significantly decrease their fertility (McLaren, 1964(McLaren, , 1966Edwards, 1964;Bell, 1969;Bell & McLaren, 1970). All of the work by McLaren and Bell (McLaren, 1964, 1966;Bell, 1969;Bell & McLaren, 1970) (McLaren, 1964(McLaren, , 1966Bell, 1969;Bell & McLaren, 1970). However, none of the female mice in Edwards experiments received fewer than 30 \ m=x\106 spermatozoa. This paper reports significant decreases in the fertility of female mice immunized with 15 IO6 spermatozoa by utilization of the carrier effect ('coopera tivi ty').Random-bred Swiss Webster mice were mated before sensitization and only fertile pairs were used in the experiment. A patch, 5 to 6 cm2, was shaved on the belly of the females and 0-05 ml of 0-5% l-fluoro-2-4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB) in a mixture of acetone and olive oil was applied three times at 10-day intervals by painting on the skin. This quantity and dosage schedule had been found to give maximal delayed hypersensitivity to dinitrophenol (DNP) in the CBA strain of mice (Taylor & Iverson, 1971

Effect of anti‐sperm antibody on the in vitro development of rat embryos

“…Reduction in fertility of female animals isoimmunized with spermatozoa, semen, or testes was reported in guinea pigs [Isojima et al, 1959;Katsh, 1959;Otani et al, 19631, mice [Bell, 1969a;Bell and McLaren, 1970;Edwards, 1964;Erickson, 1973;McLaren, 19641, rabbits [Behrman and Nakayama, 1965;Bell, 1969b;Menge, 1969;Munoz and Metz, 19781, and cattle [Menge, 1967, 19691. The inhibition of sperm passage in female genital tracts [Edwards, 1964;McLaren, 1964;Menge, 19711, the prevention of sperm penetration into eggs [Metz and Anika, 1970;Russo and Metz, 19741, and the impairment of embryo development [Menge, 1971;Menge et al, 1972;Otani et al, 19631 were observed as the effects of sperm antibody.…”

Reproduction in rats and mice isoimmunized with homogenates of ovary or testis with epididymis, or sperm suspensions

“…Injection of females with homologous spermatozoa or testis homogenates reduces fertility in rabbits (Behrman &Nakayama, 1965;Menge, 1968;Bell, 1969a), guinea-pigs (Isojima, Graham & Graham, 1959 ; Katsh, 1959 ; Behrman, Otani, Porter & Nakayama, 1963) and mice (Edwards, 1964 ;McLaren, 1964McLaren, ,1966Bell, 1969b;Bell & McLaren, 1970;Erickson, 1973). In contrast to the numerous studies of the antigenic properties of testis and spermatozoa, relatively few studies have been made on the antigenic composition of ovaries and eggs (Shivers, 1974).…”