Immuno-Electrophoretic Analysis of Human Cervical Mucus and Seminal Plasma With an Antiserum to Cervical Mucus

Abstract

Summary. Rabbit antibody to human cervical mucus was used in the immuno-electrophoretic analysis of cervical mucus, seminal plasma and blood serum. Eleven antigens were found in cervical mucus, but no more than nine in any one sample. One post-coital sample of cervical mucus in the pool used to produce the antiserum contained an antigen, thought to be prostatic acid phosphatase, derived from the semen contamination. Three antigens appeared specific for cervical mucus, being absent from seminal plasma and serum. Another two antigens were shared with seminal plasma and serum, two were shared with seminal plasma only, and a further two were shared with serum only.Two of the cervical mucus antigens were identified as immunoglobulin-G and albumin, and another two were believed to be transferrin and \g=a\-1 antitrypsin.

Cervical Mucus: An Agent or a Barrier to Conception?

“…The suggestion has been made that some proteins are common to cervical mucus and seminal plasma (De Fazio & Ketchel, 1971) such that the semen would not be recognized as 'foreign'. It is extraordinary that a woman does not become sensitized to seminal plasma proteins as a result of her sexual activity.…”

The Occurrence of Seminal Plasma Antigens in the Tissues of Women

“…The failure of female rabbits to respond immunologically to injected rabbit seminal plasma led Menzoian & Ketchel (1966) to suggest that females may escape sensitization to seminal plasma proteins because these proteins are produced in the female reproductive tract. This hypothesis was confirmed in part by our finding that human cervical mucus contains three seminal plasma antigens which are not found in blood serum (De Fazio & Ketchel, 1971).…”

“…Antiserum to human seminal plasma Equal volumes of seminal plasma were pooled from three donors who, when considered together, had in their seminal plasma all of the antigens we have been able to detect (De Fazio, Lewis & Ketchel, 1969;De Fazio & Ketchel, 1971). Three rabbits were injected intramuscularly three times/week for 2 weeks with 0-5 ml seminal plasma emulsified with 0-5 ml Freund's complete adjuvant.…”