title: [Modification of the penetration rate of human spermatozoa in the zona pellucida free hamster oocyte system by the use of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to human sperm].
abstract: Incubation of human spermatozoa with polyclonal anti-sperm antibodies from sterile females reduced the penetration rates in the zona-pellucida-free hamsteroocyte assay significantly. Twelve sera having titers from 1:4,096 to 1:64 were used. Fifty-three ejaculates from men with normozoospermia were tested. A few of the ejaculates used were classified as slightly pathological showing asthenospermia. At an average titer 1:860 the reduction of penetration rate was about 49% (range 9-90%). The degree of reduction was dependent on the agglutination titer of the test serum, the presence of immobilizing antibodies, the amount of antiserum added, and on the quality of the ejaculates to a minor extent. The penetration rate of human spermatozoa in zona-pellucida-free hamster-oocytes was reduced by 4 monoclonal anti-sperm-antibodies (A-24, B-20, III,3, and VII-5) out of 6 tested. The other 2 (VI-1 and VI-16) left the penetration rates virtually unchanged. The extent of penetration rate reduction depended on the concentrations of antibodies A-24, B-20, III-3, and VII-5; if undiluted, they produced a significant reduction of penetration rates, the largest average reduction being almost 50% with undiluted antibody A-24. Decreasing concentrations of the monoclonal anti-sperm-antibodies resulted in significantly smaller reductions of sperm penetration rates. The reason for the reduced penetration rates observed may be a blockage of receptors on the sperm surface by the named monoclonal anti-sperm-antibodies. This can inhibit enzyme reactions of the spermatozoa, or interfere with the interaction between oocyte and spermatozoa membranes. It is noted that only the antibody III-3 caused agglutination of human spermatozoa in the micro-sperm-agglutination and immobilization test. Therefore, the agglutination or immobilization of spermatozoa may not be held responsible for the reduced penetration rates after addition of monoclonal antibodies, as opposed to the findings with polyclonal antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik der RWTH Aachen, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wellnitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mettler
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013073:Sperm Agglutination / Q000276:immunology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal
vernacular_title: Die Beeinflussung der Penetrationsrate humaner Spermatozoen im Zona-pellucida-freien Hamsteroozytensystem durch Einsatz polyklonaler und monoklonaler Antikörper gegen humane Spermatozoen.