An approach to pathogenesis of male infertility with anti-sperm antibodies.
OBJECTIVE
To determine subsets and functional characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocytes in men with infertility associated with anti-sperm antibodies.


METHODS
Blood from 28 infertile men with anti-sperm antibodies and 34 fertile control males were tested for the lymphocyte subsets by indirect immunofluorescence and also for lymphocyte transformation responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), ConA, and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Also studied were effects of seminal plasma on the lymphocyte transformation responses.


RESULTS
Percentages of CD3, -4, and -8 cells and lymphocyte blastogenic responses to PHA and ConA were significantly lowered in patients. Percentage of B-cells, CD4/CD8 ratio, and blastogenic response to PWM were increased. All seminal plasmas suppressed lymphocyte blastogenesis induced by PHA, PWM, and ConA, but the suppressive effect on PHA and PWM by patients' plasma was less than that of controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that number and function of T-lymphocytes, especially CD8 cells, are lessened and those of CD4 and B-cells enhanced in the infertile patients. These factors would be conducive to development of an immunologic response to sperm.
Liu
J
J
Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Zhang
Y
Y
Shen
G
G
Wang
X
X
Su
N
N
Zhu
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins