Male infertility is a current problem of modern medicine, which base is laid in childhood. The immune system can be triggered by (normally sequestered) sperm antigens, and the production of a spectrum of antisperm antibodies may be induced. Such antibodies frequently can be found in the sera of prepubertal boys with testicular failures and autoimmune disorders. This situation may put the future fertility status for these individuals at risk.
Spermatozoa probably exhibit a range of unique antigens, which are not present at the time of fetal life, when immune self-recognition takes place and a tolerance to selfcomponents develops. Due to the fact that spermatogenesis takes place after puberty, the antigens expressed by differentiated spermatozoa do not take part in the process of recognition of self-constituents. In young individuals with testicular disorders, the anatomical barrier between gametogenic components and the immune system is not completely formed and immunosuppressive factors are not fully activated and, therefore, an immune response may be more easily initiated against testicular elements at this time, which in turn may influence the future fertility status of these individuals.
Antisperm antibodies induced in prepubertal boys with organ specific autoimmune disease (cryptorchidism) and with systemic autoimmune disease (juvenile idiopathic arthritis) are the interesting phenomenon in prepubertal age. The incidence of antisperm antibodies in sera samples of prepubertal boys (110 boys with cryptorchidism, 49 boys with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and 40 healthy boys of the control group) we were examined with using the indirect immunobead test (IDIBT). IDIBT is the most valuable assay for antisperm antibody detection, is the ones in which live spermatozoa are used.
Motile spermatozoa were obtained by a swim-up method from antisperm antibody – free ejaculates from healthy men. Tested sera samples were incubated with sperm suspension and immunobeads coated with rabbit antihuman immunoglobulin (classes M, A, G). Immunobead binding was analyzed by phase-contrast microscopy. Samples were positive when spermatozoa were attached to immunobeads. We were distinct the site of fixation of beads on the surface of spermatozoa.
In the group of boys with cryptorchidism, we found the higher level ASA of class Ig A with Tt – topography (tail tip of spermatozoa) and in the group of boys with juvenile idiopathic arthritis we were detected predominantly the ASA of class Ig M with H – (head of spermatozoa) and Tt-topography. The site of fixation of their antibodies is important for functional activity of spermatozoa in future: site H – for acrosomal reaction, site Tt – for motility.
In conclusion: the disposition of ASA in patients with cryptorchidism is specific for sperm antigens, but the disposition of ASA in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis is natural. Generally, reactivity of antibodies against mature sperm antigens was also revealed in our population of boys without testicular disorders. We can only speculate that there might be a population of naturally occurring antibodies in serum from prepubertal boys with various infections, which cross-react with sperm antigens. Antibodies formed prepubertally that react with antigens originating from differentiated spermatozoa can be an interesting biological tool for identification of sperm-specific immunogens which might be present at all stages of germ cell development and which can be further studied for their biochemical characterization.
Article Received 15.06.2016
Keywords: male infertility, prepubertal age, antispermal antibodies, natural antibodies
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