Carbohydrate moieties on sperm surface: physiological relevance.
OBJECTIVE
To study the cross-reactions between mouse monoclonal antisperm antibodies and somatic cells or bacteria, to identify the antigenic determinants responsible for such cross-reactions, and to correlate between the antibody function and determinant recognition.


METHODS
Activities of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were characterized by immunosorbent assay of RIA technique; sperm epitopic characterization was performed in lectin-blocking and sugar competitive assays and correlated with functional assays.


METHODS
Procedures were performed in a university laboratory.


RESULTS
The extensive cross-reactivity between antigenic determinants of sperm, erythrocytes, and bacteria (but not bacterial deglycosylated lipopolysaccharides) was observed. The analytic procedures indicated predominant mAb reactions to carbohydrates such as fucose, galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. Approximately half of the 30 tested mAbs interfered in the functional assays, that is, sperm agglutination, immobilization, and zona-free penetration.


CONCLUSIONS
Sperm carbohydrates seem to induce antibody reactions to common antigenic determinant(s) present on gametes, somatic cells, and infectious agents. Thus molecular mimicry between bacteria and sperm can be a major factor inducing antisperm immunological reactions. Obtained antisperm mAbs, reacting to glycosylated epitopes, presented very strong properties in sperm agglutination and/or immobilization. This did not correlate with inhibiting properties of some antibodies in xenogeneic zona-free penetration test, that is, this assay possibly is not based on oligosaccharide mediation.
Kurpisz
M
M
Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan.
Alexander
N J
NJ
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013073:Sperm Agglutination; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002241:Carbohydrates; D000939:Epitopes; D037102:Lectins