Antibody binding to greater than 50% of sperm at the tail tip does not impair male fertility.
A prospective study was conducted with a man displaying 57.5 +/- 13.4% tail tip-directed ASAs to relate results of in vitro tests with attempts to conceive. Tests of seminal quality, penetration of zona-free hamster oocytes, and in vitro penetration of preovulatory cervical mucus were normal. A pregnancy was achieved by natural intercourse during the first cycle in which conception was attempted. More than 50% of sperm were bound by ASAs during the cycle in which conception occurred. These results suggest that ASA binding to certain regions of the sperm surface have no adverse effect on fertility. Therefore, when diagnosing the fertility status of males with ASAs, it appears prudent to use tests that permit determination of the regional distribution of ASA binding to sperm, rather than tests that only permit determination of the presence or absence of ASAs in test fluids.
Hammitt
D G
DG
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Urology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242.
Muench
M M
MM
Williamson
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G