IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF EXTRACELLULAR SECRETORY VESICLES ISOLATEDFROM BOVINE SEMEN

We demonstrate that extracellular secretory vesicles isolated from bov ine seminal plasma have immunomodulatory properties. They inhibit mito gen induced proliferation of bovine and human peripheral blood lymphoc ytes in a dose dependent fashion. They also inhibit phagocytosis of la tex particles by bovine neutrophils. Phagocytosis of opsonised Staphyl ococcus aureus however was not affected. Furthermore phorbol ester and chemotactic peptide induced superoxide production was decreased espec ially when a suboptimal dose of stimulants was used. We suggest that e xtracellular secretory vesicles may preserve sperm survival in the fem ale reproductive tract.