Incidence of sperm‐associated immunoglobulins in infertile men with suspected autoimmunity to sperm

Abstract

Semen samples from 120 infertile men with suspected autoimmunity to sperm were investigated by a direct immunobead test (IBT). Fifty-three (44%) of them had 10% or more motile sperm coated with anti-IgG and/or anti-IgA immunobeads. Both classes of immunoglobulins were found to be present in 88.7% of the antibody positive ejaculates. These sperm-bound Igs were associated with sperm autoagglutination in 80% of the ejaculates and with decreased sperm penetration into cervical mucus in 97.6% of the cases. The close correlation found between the IBT results and the occurrence of antisperm antibodies in serum and in seminal plasma suggests that sperm-bound Ig's are sperm-specific antibodies. It is concluded that the direct IBT is not only a reliable screening test for sperm antibodies but is also a relevant test to determine whether these antibodies exert an influence on male fertility.

Indications de la recherche des anticorps anti-spermatozoïdes

“…Elles sont constitu6es par l'agglutination des spermatozoides, la diminution de la mobilit6 progressive, de la vitalit6 et quelquefois de la num6ration des spermatozo~des [8,25,26,110].…”

“…Ils reprEsentent l'effet le mieux connu et le plus visible de 1'interfErence des anticorps avec la fertilit6 in vivo ou in vitro [25,29,30,75]. Les tests post-coitaux ou les tests de pEnEtration croisEe sont nEgatifs ou pauvres en presence d'un mucus cervical ovulatoire.…”

“…Cette immunisation est rare chez les couples fertiles (moins de 1%). La prevalence des anticorps chez l'homme infEcond varie de 2,8 ~ 26% selon les Etudes en comparaison des 2,5% retrouvEs dans une population d'hommes fertiles [25,45,72,83]. Cette immunisation est plus importante chez les hommes que les femmes : on ne retrouve que 0,2% h 1,6% d'anticorps chez la femme infertile [14,18,30,61].…”

Anticorps anti-spermatozoïdes: techniques de dépistage et interprétation des résultats

“…La frEquence d'IBT positifs (plus de 20% de spermatozoides mobiles porteurs de billes) dansles populations d'hommes infertiles non sElectionnEs varie entre 7 et 10% [7,18,20]. Dans une population de 120 hommes infertiles suspects d'auto-immunisation, nous avons trouv6 44% de spermes positifs en IBT [14].…”

Treatment and Prognosis of Immunological Factors in Unexplained Male Infertility

“…Therefore, minimizing exposure time might be important to prevent immobilization and sperm lysis. Sperm-bound immunoglobulins are associated with sperm autoagglutination in 80 % of the ejaculates and they decreased sperm penetration into cervical mucus in 97.6 % of the cases; furthermore, the proportion of ASA-bound sperm correlates with sperm penetration into cervical mucus [9][10][11]. It has been suggested that the cervical mucus aids in the selection of the most fertile sperm of an ejaculate by acting as an immunological filter, preventing the passage of sperm coated with ASA [12].…”