Fusi FM, Calzi F, Ferrari A, Bronson RA. Detection using antisperm monoclonal antibodies of shared epitopes expressed by human spermatozoa and oocytes.
Fertil Steril 1997;
68:158-63. [PMID:
9207603 DOI:
10.1016/s0015-0282(97)81494-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether human spermatozoa and oocytes share common antigenic epitopes, supporting the hypothesis that their cross-linking by antisperm antibodies present in the clinical sera of infertile couples could promote sperm adhesion to the oolemma.
DESIGN
Human and hamster eggs were studied for the presence of antigens recognized by a panel of World Health Organization Task Force monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) originally raised against human spermatozoa. A new technique was devised, using frozen sections of paraformaldehyde-fixed individual human and hamster eggs, to screen rapidly antisperm mAbs for egg reactivity. Living zona-free human and hamster eggs then were exposed to Covaspheres (Duke Scientific, Palo Alto, CA) coupled with these mAbs to document the presence of reactive epitopes on the oolemma.
SETTING
Academic research environment.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Indirect immunofluorescence and Covasphere rosetting.
RESULT(S)
Eleven of 37 antisperm mAbs tested reacted with fixed hamster eggs and 10 reacted with human eggs. Five of 6 mAbs reactive with both fixed eggs also reacted with the oolemma of living, zona-free eggs.
CONCLUSION(S)
Common antigenic epitopes, some of which are shared with somatic tissues, exist on the oolemma of human eggs and on the plasma membrane of human spermatozoa.
Collapse