In-vitro processing of sperm with autoantibodies: analysis of sperm populations.
Ejaculates from 51 infertile men with significant levels of anti-sperm antibodies were submitted to processing in vitro in order to increase the number of antibody-free spermatozoa. Rapid removal and washing of spermatozoa from antibody-containing seminal fluid resulted in a variable decrease in IgG and/or IgA binding; only IgG binding was significantly reduced. Those spermatozoa were allowed to swim-up into an overlaying medium to select those with the best progression. Unexpectedly, in the post-migration samples (PM), the proportion of progressively motile spermatozoa coated with IgG and IgA antibodies increased significantly. An efficient selection of antibody-free spermatozoa was achieved prior to swim up migration by immuno-binding to polystyrene Petri plates coated with anti-human immunoglobulin antibodies. Non-adherent populations were depleted of 27-100% of IgG and IgA antibody-coated spermatozoa. After migration, the percentages of antibody-coated spermatozoa of those populations (PMP) remained low. The comparison between PM and PMP populations shows that immunobinding increases the number of motile antibody-free spermatozoa. The fertility potential of both sperm populations is currently under investigation.
Jeulin
C
C
Laboratoire d'Histologie-Embryologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, France.
Soumah
A
A
Da Silva
G
G
De Almeida
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013073:Sperm Agglutination; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies