title: Possible association of infertility with sperm-specific abnormality of CD46.
abstract: Three infertile patients fulfilling normal or subnormal criteria on routine semen analysis showed abnormal sperm CD46 (membrane cofactor protein of complement) by SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting analysis using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. The sperm CD46 isoform has been reported to be associated with sperm-egg interaction. These three patients expressed normal CD46 isoforms on their lymphocytes and granulocytes. Sperm-specific abnormalities in these proteins thus parallel male infertility, suggesting a new category of infertility, probably due to aberrations in the molecules related to sperm-egg interaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Center for Adult Diseases Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumiya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namiki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seya
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C497857:CD46 protein, human; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins