Antisperm antibody binding on the sperm surface: Statistical correlation between methods - Cytologycal characteristics

The investigation of autoantibodies against spermatozoa (ASA) in semen must be carried out when studies on the infertile couple are iniciated, in 5-10% of men belonging to this population group, the spermatic immune factor plays a role of importance. Ejaculates obtained from men belonging to infertile couples were used in. the present study in order to a) establish the correlation between two methods used for the detection and quantification of antisperm antibody binding to the sperm surface, the Immunobeads test (IB) and the Mixed Antiglobulin Reaction Test: MAR test (Mt) and; b) determine the cytological characteristics of ejaculates in men with high rates of antibodies attached to the spermatozoa For the comparative study between both methods 58 materials were used, selected for exceeding the reference values in one of the rest and the cytological evaluations in 250 samples taken at random and in 53 leucospermic semen samples (concentration of polimorphonuclear leucocytes (PNL >10(6)/mL - Method: Peroxidase) were carried out. IB for detection of antibodies from IgG (IBG) and IgA (IBA) and Mt were developed according to OMS rules, using the direct technique in all samples with more than 5 million spermatozoa /mL and traslative motility over 40%, in the remaining cases, the indirect method was used. In the 58 selected semen samples, the IgG type antibodies present values of (X +/- DS) 88.9 +/- 15.8 and of 58.8 +/- 31.6 for Mt and IBG respectively (P < 0.001). In the 86.2% of the cases (n = 50), they both correlate, showing frankly positive results; in 13.8% (n = 8) against negatives IBG, positive Mt were obtained, without dubions values having been obtained from samples being under study. Both methods involving the IgG, are significantly correlated (r = 0.58). It was determined -by using IB-, that in patients with immune affectation, the 63.8% (n = 37) of semen show IgG and IgA antibodies, 22.4% (n = 13) only IgG type, without any sample with just IgA antibodies being found. In, leucospermic ejaculates (n = 53), positive Mt was obtained in 5.7% (n = 3). Among groups with (n = 50) and without antibodies (n = 200), there are significant differences in the tendency to spontaneous spermatozoa agglutination (58.0 and 16.7%, P < 0.001), as well as in the appearance of active phagocytosis (50.0 and 17.0, P < 0.001). In. samples with ASA, motility and spermatic concentration (12 +/- 12% and 172 +/- 142 mill/mL-respectively) show a high dipersion of data, this being different in terms of morphology (normals spermatozoa = 45 +/- 17%). It can be concluded that a) directs Mt and IBG are correlated, being Mt elegible in ASA trace owing to its methodological simplicity and for its reproductibility. However it must be remarked that IB identifies the class of immunoglobulin involved (G, A o M) and the location of antibodies on the sperm surface, b) the presence of ASA in 5.7% of leucospermic samples and of macrophages in 50.0% of samples with immune afectation coincide with the nature of the phenomenous under study, c) the effect that ASA binding to the sperm surface have over motility is variable, but opposite to that, the testicular production is not either morphologically affected and d) the spermatozoa agglutination as well as the active phagocytosis have significant incidence on semen with ASA.