Suppression of rat epididymal sperm immunogenicity by a seminal vesicle secretory protein and transglutaminase both in vivo and in vitro.
The pretreatment of epididymal spermatozoa with SV-IV, one of the major secretory protein produced by the epithelium of adult rat seminal vesicles, was found to markedly decrease their ability to induce in vivo peritoneal macrophage activation, measured as class II major histocompatibility complex surface antigen expression, superoxide anion production, phagocytic activity, and antigen presentation. In addition, the treatment of spermatozoa with SV-IV produced a significant decrease of their immunogenicity evaluated in vitro by [3H]thymidine incorporation in splenocyte/spermatozoon co-culture. The concurrent presence of SV-IV and transglutaminase, an enzyme secreted in large amounts from the rat anterior prostate, amplified these phenomena. The suppression of the epididymal sperm immunogenicity is suggested to be of crucial importance for the prevention of the immune response to the sperm introduced in the immunocompetent female genital tract during coitus.
Peluso
G
G
Institute of Protein Biochemistry and Enzymology, National Research Council, Arco Felice, Naples, Italy.
Porta
R
R
Esposito
C
C
Tufano
M A
MA
Toraldo
R
R
Vuotto
M L
ML
Ravagnan
G
G
Metafora
S
S
D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000378:metabolism; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010587:Phagocytosis; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D011506:Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; C043076:beta-microseminoprotein; D013481:Superoxides; D011503:Transglutaminases