A NEW METHOD FOR ISOLATION OF HUMAN ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES

A study was undertaken to isolate pure human antisperm antibodies from the sera of infertile couples. One hundred infertile couples attendin g the Infertility and IVF Unit (Beilinson Medical Center) because of u nexplained infertility were tested (both partners) for antisperm antib odies. Sixty-eight experiments were performed with positive sera conta ining antisperm antibodies and normal donor sperm. These experiments w ere followed by experiments in order to elute pure human antisperm ant ibodies from the sperm surface. Three experiments were performed with human sperm which were found to be coated by antisperm antibodies, in order to directly elute these antibodies from the sperm surface. In al l experiments we eluted antisperm antibodies of the IgG and IgA isotyp es from the sperm surface. These antibodies were demonstrated in the e luate, in each case by either the indirect immunobead test, the radial immune diffusion assay, or the electrophoresis method. Control experi ments were performed as follows: (i) normal donor sperm incubated with normal serum; (ii) normal donor sperm without serum incubation; (iii) normal donor lymphocytes incubated with serum containing antisperm an tibodies; (iv) normal donor lymphocytes without serum incubation. No a ntisperm antibodies were obtained in any of these control experiments. Absorption and elution experiments can be used for the isolation of p ure human antisperm antibodies, which may then be used for the product ion of anti-idiotypic antibodies to antisperm antibodies. The anti-idi otypic antibodies could be further utilized as antigen substitutes for the production of a contraceptive vaccine and/or for application in t he treatment of spontaneous abortion and infertility.