EXPRESSION OF HUMAN-LEUKOCYTE ANTIGENS IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOGENIC ANDALLOGENIC CIRCULATING ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES

Circulating antisperm antibodies have been shown to have an adverse ef fect on a couple's ability to achieve fertilization. This study invest igated the HLA class II pattern in couples with infertility associated with antisperm antibodies. Forty-nine couples with significant circul ating antisperm antibodies confirmed with immunofluorescence technique and 15 control couples had HLA class II-DR, DQ typing. The Terasaki l ymphotoxicity test was used. In women with antisperm antibodies, HLA c lass II haplotypes DR(4), DR(6), and DQ(W3) were more common than in t he control group. For the men, DR(6) and DQ(7) were more common in tho se with antisperm antibodies, than in controls. With sharing of the ha plotypes by the couples, DR(4), DR(6), and DQ(7) were more common in c ouples with antisperm antibodies, but deficient in DQ(W3). HLA class I I-DR(4), DR(6), and DR(7) sharing in couples and deficiency of DQ(W3) may be associated with circulating antisperm antibody production.