title: A comparison of the usefulness of SpermMar and immunobead tests for the detection of antisperm antibodies.
abstract: We compared two testing protocols designed to detect immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies on sperm surfaces: (1) SpermMar (Ortho, Raritan, NJ) and (2) Immunobead Testing (Biorad, Richmond, CA). The standard SpermMar (SPMAR) protocol (direct test of unwashed semen) was performed with 47 ejaculates and found to be more sensitive than Immunobead Testing (IBT) on washed sperm, detecting five samples with greater than or equal to 30% bead binding, all of which by IBT had less than 20% bead binding. In contrast, when SPMAR was performed on washed sperm or with an indirect antibody transfer from serum or seminal plasma, SPMAR results gave mostly low values for bead binding in comparison with IBT. Our data suggest that SPMAR be used only in direct assays employing unwashed ejaculates, that it can be easily incorporated into routine semen analysis as a screening test, and that positive results should be confirmed by IBT (IgG and IgA).
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Waits
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Overstreet
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D008297:Male; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell