The interfering effect of human IgG antisperm antibodies on human sperm penetration of zona-free hamster eggs.
A liquid-phase radioimmunoassay was used to quantitate sperm-associated IgG in a population of patients with unexplained infertility. Plasma IgG antisperm antibody activity was identified in a subpopulation of these patients. Using the human sperm/hamster egg assay, a unique functional test of human sperm penetrating capacity, we identified a subset of these positive patients whose plasma significantly and reproducibly inhibited penetration. This study implies that antigen-antibody reactions may prevent sperm responses that are critical to sperm-egg fusion.
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007518:Isoantibodies