title: Induction and measurement of antisperm antibody responses in vitro.
abstract: Using the Mishell and Dutton culture system an assay was developed for eliciting and quantifying sperm surface antigen (SSA)-specific immune responses in vitro. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from sexually inexperienced and experienced women that were antisperm antibody (ASA) negative gave rise to a plaque-forming cell (PFC) response of similar magnitude (1,362 and 1,254 PFC/culture, respectively). PBMC from women that were ASA positive had lower PFC responses if cervical mucous antibodies were detected along with circulating antibodies (876 PFC/culture) than if they were not detected (1,512 PFC/culture). Limit dilution analysis was used to demonstrate that the level of the anticipated antibody response is regulated by T helper cell activity. The results of this investigation suggest that the antibody response to SSA is governed at least in part by both the secretory immune system and circulating T helper cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, United States Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, VA.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000954:Antigens, Surface