Oral immunization with sperm antigens: Possible therapy for sperm antibodies?

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Citations from the Literature

Semen analysis data from fresh and cryopreserved donor ejaculates: Comparison of cryoprotectants and pregnancy rates Keel BA; Webster BW

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS; USA Fertility and Sterility/SZ/l (loO-105)/1989/ Patients (155) were selected at random for fresh or cryopreserved semen and inseminated on the predicted day of ovulation. Semen analysis was performed using a microcomputerized multiple-exposure photography system. Frozen semen was used with either glycerol or TEST-yolk (TEST-buffered 20% egg yolk with 10% glycerol) as the cryoprotectant. Cryopreservation resulted in significant decreases in all semen parameters measured. Of these, velocity appeared to be the least effected. TEST-yolk provided significantly more protection against a reduction in velocity compared with glycerol. A total of 18, 17, and 27 patients conceived using fresh, glycerol, or TEST-yolk-preserved semen, respectively. For these same groups, a cumulative pregnancy rate of 52.9%, 27.1% and 68.5%, respectively, was observed (not significant). used for The total number of motile sperm per insemination fresh artificial inseminations resulting in conception (132.4 x 106) was significantly greater than the number used for successful glycerol- and TEST-yolk-preserved serum (approximately 24 x 106). These results demonstrate that although the number of motile sperm of cryopreserved ejaculates are dramatically reduced compared with the fresh counterparts, if a minimum criteria for ejaculate quality is established, the use of cryopreserved semen can offer a viable, effective, and relatively safe alternative to artificial insemination by donor with fresh

Oral immunization with sperm antigens: Possible therapy for sperm antibodies? Congleton L; Potts W; Mathur S

Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; USA Fertility and Sterility/52/i (106-l 12)/1989/ Young adult male CD-l mice were given intraperitoneal injections (IP) of saline (controls) and pooled sperm or seminal plasma of two autoimmune infertile men and two nonautoimmune fertile men (n = 40 per treatment). Other mice received only an oral challenge with the same antigens (oral controls; n = 20 per treatment). Three weeks after the booster challenge (day 36), 20 mice in each group were orally immunized with the antigens, whereas the other 20 were not (IP controls). Cytotoxic antibody titers (immunoglobulin M) to human sperm were significantly higher in mice IP immunized with sperm or seminal plasma from autoimmune infertile men or orally immunized with autoimmune men’s sperm, in contrast to the controls. Oral challenge with sperm or seminal plasma of autoimmune infertile men after the IP immunization with the same resulted in significantly decreased cytotoxic sperm antibody titers (P < 0.001 versus oral or IP controls in sperm immunization; P < 0.001 versus IP controls in seminal plasma

Citations from the Literature

immunization). Fertility was unaffected by any mode of immunization. It is concluded that, in mice, sperm and seminal antigens from autoimmune infertile men are more immunogenic than those from nonautoimmune fertile men, and oral challenge with the former after an IP establishment of cytotoxic sperm immunity desensitizes the immune mice. These findings may have practical implications in the diagnosis and immunotherapy of infertile men with cytotoxic sperm antibodies.

Transfer of human sperm into the perivitelline space of human oocytes after zona-drilling or zona-puncture Ng S-C; Bongso A; Chang S-I; Sathananthan H; Ratnam S

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital, Singapore 051I; Singapore Fertility and Sterility/5211 (73-78)/1989/ To evaluate the transfer of sperm from severely oligozoospermit men into the perivitelline space of mature oocytes, zona-drilling with acid phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and direct zona-puncture in the presence of cytochalasin D were studied. Zona-drilling also was done for eggs from patients with previous failed in vitro fertilization (IVF). Forty-seven eggs from seven patients with oligozoospermia and three patients with failed IVF had a mean of between 2.6 and 3.6 sperm transferred into the perivitelline space. In the group whose eggs had zona-drilling with acid PBS, 1 of 13 eggs fertilized from the oligozoospermic category, while there was no fertilization from the failed IVF category. Karyotyping of the unfertilized eggs after zona-drilling revealed a high incidence (215 and 317, respectively) of possible arrest at anaphase II after reinitiation of meiosis. In the group whose eggs were directly punctured through the zona in the presence of cytochalasin D, there was no fertilization in 23 undamaged eggs. Two of the 15 interpretable karyotypes were aneuploid, but this incidence is within that observed for our unfertilized eggs after IVF. Hence, the use of acid PBS for zona-drilling is not advised. Moreover, transfer of sperm from men with previous failed fertilization resulted in poor fertilization rates.

Early, late, and sequential embryo transfer in in vitro fertilization program: A preliminary report Caspi E; Ron-El R; Golan R; Herman A; Nachum H

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assaf Harofe Medical Centre, Zerifin 70300; Israel Fertility and Sterility/52/i (146-148)/1989/ The timing of ET was evaluated by transferring four embryos at 44 to 48 hours, 68 to 72 hours, or equally dividing and sequentially transferring at 44 to 48 and 68 to 72 hours after insemination. Fifty-one patients were randomly allocated to one of the above protocols. The mean number of blastomeres of embryos transferred at 68 to 72 hours after insemination was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than those transferred at 44 to 48 hours. The number of embryos with good morphology was similar in all study groups. The preg-