FLOW-CYTOMETRY STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SERUM AND PERITONEAL-FLUID OF WOMEN ON SPERM-BINDING ACTIVITY OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN-G ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES

Objective: To investigate the influence of sera and peritoneal fluids (PFs) from fertile and infertile women on the binding of antisperm ant ibodies to the surface of spermatozoa. Design: The immunoglobulin (Ig) G antisperm antibodies binding to the surface of live spermatozoa was evaluated after their incubation in antisperm antibodies-positive ser um from an infertile male in the presence and absence of female sera o r PFs. Setting: Russian Scientific Center for Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Perinatology. Patient(s): Serum and PF samples from fertile and i nfertile women; antisperm antibodies-positive serum from infertile men ; high-quality fresh semen from healthy donors. Intervention(s): Serum samples were obtained from fertile and infertile women and from infer tile men. Peritoneal fluids were collected during routine laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measure(s): The proportion of spermatozoa positive for I gG antibodies and the quantity of antisperm antibodies on the sperm su rface measured by flow cytometry (FCM). Result(s): The addition of ser a from fertile or infertile women with endometriosis or pelvic adhesio n disease to an IgG antisperm antibodies-positive male serum resulted in significant inhibition of the antisperm antibodies binding to the s perm surface. Conclusion(s): Sera of fertile as well as infertile woma n contain factors that block IgG antisperm antibodies binding to the s urface of live spermatozoa. (C) 1997 by American Society for Reproduct ive Medicine.