[Antibodies Against Immunologically Sequestered Antigens in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of anovulatory infertility. In recent times, autoimmune processes are supposed to play a role in a number of conditions with unexplained etiology. This includes some cases of human infertility. The attempts to detect antiovarian antibodies in patients with PCOS generally produced negative results. Presence of non-organ specific autoantibodies in patients with polycytosis has been reported, but the data are till inconsistent. Meanwhile, a number of recent sludies reveal a correlation between PCOS, hypothyroidism (manifested or subclinical) and autoimmunity. In this respect, many authors recommend thyroid function to be regularly checked in patients with PCOS. There are data that certain categories of women with polycystosis show an elevated concentration of antisperm antibodies. The problem is an interesting example how a pathological process can elucidate the complex interactions between the immune system and various compartments of the endocrine system that include immunologically isolated antigens.

Heterogeneity in the presence of CD4-like molecules on human spermatozoa.

The object of the present study was to study if there are differences in the presence of CD4-like molecules on human ejaculated spermatozoa in fertile donors and infertile patients (with globozoospermia). Indirect and absorption enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence were applied. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay data showed that monoclonal anti-human CD4-antibody recognizes an epitope common to the human spermatozoa with normal morphology and round-headed spermatozoa. Localization of the antigenic determinants, identified by anti-human CD4-monoclonal antibody, in the acrosomal region, including equatorial segment, postnuclear cap and tail was determined in normozoospermic samples. A positive reaction was found on the sperm head both in the acrosomal and postacrosomal region of some round-headed spermatozoa in the samples with globozoospermia. The tails of the normozoospermic spermatozoa and of some round-headed spermatozoa were weakly immunopositive. The results of the experiments carried out are evidence of heterogeneity in the presence of CD4-like antigen determinants on human spermatozoa. These data increased the information about the CD4-antigen characteristic of the spermatozoa from fertile donors and infertile patients.

Characterization of anti-sperm antibodies and their coding cDNA sequences by Epstein-Barr virus transformed B cell lines from lymphocytes of infertile women possessing anti-sperm antibodies.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cell lines that produce human antisperm antibodies were established using peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from infertile women with sperm immobilizing antibodies in their sera. We obtained three stable cell populations (designated B1, B2, D5) of transformed PBLs originating from three different patients. They produced IgM sperm-reacting antibodies directed against the tail of live, methanol-fixed and NaIO4-treated human spermatozoa. The established antisperm antibodies recognized noncarbohydrate sperm membrane antigens with different specificity and distribution in the male reproductive system. Antisperm antibody-B2 corresponding antigen appears to be specific for the male reproductive system. This antigen is excreted from the epithelial cells of the ductus epididymidis and bound to the spermatozoa in the lumen of the ductus. Antisperm antibodies B1 and D5 corresponding antigens were expressed on the spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules and were common to the secretions of the ductus epididymidis, prostate and some other somatic organs. The cDNA of the immunoglobulin heavy chain genes were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using RNA extracted from these clones. The immunoglobulin heavy chain cDNA sequences of these antisperm antibodies showed extremely high homology to previously reported immunoglobulin germline DNA sequences, implying that these antisperm antibodies might be natural autoantibodies rather than antibodies stimulated by external antigen.