Studies on the Immunosuppressive Effect of Seminal Plasma

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Abstract
In vitro suppression of immune responses by seminal plasma is well documented, but the mechansim by which it exerts its effects remains to be established. Our studies on T-lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer cell target-cells lysis reveal that seminal plasma mediated suppression is dose-dependent and temperature-dependent, and that cells which have been activated are less susceptible to suppression. In the case of mitogen-induced T-cell responses this results in a decrease in the expression of the Interleukin-2 receptor whose generation is essential to T-cells proliferation. These studies provide further evidence above suppression of the immune response by seminal plasma. This may be a contributory factor in the aetiology of AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, infertility and malignancies of the urogenital tract inlcuding carcinoma of the cervix.