DEMONSTRATION OF 11S IGA ANTIBODY TO SPERMATOZOA IN HUMAN SEMINAL FLUID

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 44  (2) , 368-374
Abstract
Spontaneous sperm agglutination was observed in the ejaculate of a 39 yr old [infertile] male (patient Z). Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with spermatozoa [ST] fixed to wells of a microtiter plate, IgA was associated with patient Z''s ST but not with a pooled ST sample from fertile men. Z''s seminal fluid agglutinated human ST (titer 1:16). No sperm-agglutinating or immobilizing activity was present in the patient''s serum. Agglutination was prevented by preincubation of the seminal fluid with anti-IgA antibody but not with anti-IgG antibody. IgA from Z''s seminal fluid readily bound to human ST, as determined by the ELISA assay. IgA from a pool of seminal fluids from fertile men or from 18 human sera bound to ST to a much lesser extent. By sucrose-gradient velocity centrifugation it was demonstrated that the anti-sperm IgA in patient Z''s seminal fluid was 11S. Antibody to secretory component removed the anti-sperm IgA from Z''s seminal fluid. Apparently secretory IgA with anti-sperm activity is produced in the male genital tract. A new methodology is presented for the determination of antibodies to ST.