title: Testicular microlithiasis is not a risk factor for the production of antisperm antibody in infertile males.
abstract: Testicular microlithiasis (TM) is a pathological event characterised by the presence of microliths within the testicular entities, and such calcium deposition is thought to have deleterious impacts on the structure of blood-testis barrier (BTB). Breaches in the BTB appear to be a risk factor for antisperm antibody (ASA) production, which is reported to have negative influence on human fertility. Thus, the theories are provocative that ASA formation is elicited in TM men, and the resultant ASA will accordingly affect the fecundity in these men. To illustrate these hypotheses, this study enrolled 22 infertile men incidentally diagnosed with TM by testicular ultrasound evaluation. Sperm samples were collected, and direct immunobead test was used to determine the ASA levels. None of the infertile men with TM were found to display significant levels of ASA, whilst relatively abnormal sperm parameters in these cases were revealed by semen analysis. These observations suggest that TM exposure does not increase the risk of ASA production in infertile men, and therefore, ASA is discarded as an active participant in the development of infertility in TM men. Nevertheless, disrupted spermatogenesis resulting from TM may, at least in part, have certain implications for the pathogenesis of TM-associated infertility.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive Immunology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: W-J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier; D002137:Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology*; D013737:Testis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies