The use of SIT and ELISA to detect serum sperm antibodies in infertile patients

The existence of natural sperm antibodies in fertile subjects requires the application of additional methods in certain cases of significant, but near to the borderline agglutinating titers, in order to distinguish between pathological and natural sperm antibodies. We applied the sperm immobilization test (SIT) of Isojima and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with sera from infertile patients (n = 66) that have been positive in at least one of the agglutination methods of Kibrick and Friberg. The data were compared with the results for a control group of blood donors (n = 50). It was demonstrated that the positive, but low-titer sera in the test of Friberg were often highly positive in ELISA, while the high-titer sera displayed lower OD values. No such correlation was established by SIT. Probably, it would be practical to use ELISA in cases, where no convincing laboratory data exists for immunity against spermatozoa--relevant, but low agglutinating titers, which can be found in fertile subjects. Besides, SIT and ELISA can recognize antigen-antibody systems different from those identified by the agglutinating tests

The role of antisperm antibodies in the induction of immunologically-mediated human infertility

Among others, immonulogical factors can be the reason for human infertility. Our critical review of English-Language literature published between 1979 and May 2001, as well as the analyzed literature data for the Bulgarian population, showed sufficient evidence that antisperm antibodies impair fertility in couple with unexplained infertility by different pathogenetic mechanisms

Methods for the detection of antisperm antibodies associated with immunologically-mediated human infertility

Among others, immunological factors can be the reason for human infertility. The aim of the present critical review was to the analyze the literature data, published in the last 20 years, as well as our experimental and clinical results concerning the most frequently used in the international centers methods for the detection of antisperm antibodies associated with immunologically--mediated human infertility

Serum sperm antibodies after diarrhoeal diseases

The origin of 'natural' anti-sperm antibodies found in fertile humans, virgin girls, and boys before puberty, is quite obscure. One hypothetical mechanism relates their existence to inflammatory gastrointestinal entities: as a result of the disease, cross-reactive antibodies produced against gastrointestinal flora bind spermatozoa. To test this assumption, we evaluated the level of serum sperm antibodies after diarrhoeal infections. Serum samples from 17 patients with shigellosis and 12 patients with salmonellosis were screened for anti-sperm antibodies directed against sperm surface antigens (gelatin agglutination test - GAT, tray agglutination test - TAT, sperm immobilization test - SIT), profound sperm antigens [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)], and anti-bacterial antibodies (slide agglutination test - SAT) upon diagnosis (group A) and 4-35 days later (group B). The patients from group B demonstrated an increased sperm antibody incidence by GAT (20.7%), TAT (13.8%) and ELISA (31%) when compared to group A and to healthy controls, although statistically significant data were acquired only for the latter group. The absorption of positive sera with bacteria and/or spermatozoa revealed significant reactivity changes in the antibody values by GAT and TAT for shigellosis, and by TAT and ELISA for salmonellosis patients. These data demonstrate increased serum sperm antibody levels in salmonellosis and shigellosis patients. © 2007 The Authors