Decreased suppression of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by seminal plasma in unexplained infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether seminal plasma (SP) from unexplained infertile males has different suppressive activity on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) than SP from fertile males or SP from males of couples with known infertility factor.


METHODS
Comparative clinical/experimental study.


METHODS
In vitro fertilization program in a university hospital and a hospital research laboratory.


METHODS
A total of 245 SP samples from 174 infertile and 16 fertile couples were compared.


METHODS
SP suppression of ADCC was measured by using human 51chromium-labeled red blood cells (RBC), sensitized with IgG-rabbit-anti-human-RBC as targets and peripheral blood lymphocytes as effector cells.


METHODS
Suppressive activity of each sample was determined by calculating 51Cr-release in the presence and absence of SP.


RESULTS
When analyzed with respect to sperm number, motility, and morphology, suppressive activities of samples with normal semen analyses (n = 142) were significantly higher (x = 37% +/- 14%) than suppressive activities of abnormal samples (n = 103; x = 32% +/- 13%). There was no strong correlation of suppressive activity to other semen parameters. Within the andrologically normal males, SP from the unexplained infertile couples (n = 15) showed significantly lower suppressive activity (x = 24% +/- 11%) compared with the SP from fertile males (n = 16; x = 35% +/- 13%) and from couples with female infertility factor (n = 65; x = 39% +/- 14%).


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of suppressive activity is associated with unexplained infertility, even in male patients who previously were considered normal by traditional methods of semen analysis.
Sakin-Kaindl
F
F
Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Klinium Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
Wagenknecht
D R
DR
Strowitzki
T
T
McIntyre
J A
JA
Thaler
C J
CJ
D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007246:Infertility / Q000276:immunology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G