Influence of immunotherapy on antisperm antibodies in women

Abstract

Objective. Antisperm antibodies (ASA) in women’s sera have been implicated as a causative factor of infertility, pregnancy wastage and early recurrent spontaneous abortion. It was reported that approximately 50% of women with this pathology were positive for ASA. The problem of overcoming this situation is very actual for planned pregnancy and associated reproduction technology.

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Method. 406 consecutive patients with infertility and recurrent miscarriages were examined using for ASA status by ELISA assay with the help of test-system “Seravac” (Germany).

Results. 134 patients were found to be ASA-positive (33%). The associations between the presence of ASA and patient’s age, primary or secondary infertility was examined using multivariant analysis. No differences were found in investigated groups. All the patients were recommended to use a method of barrier contraception, 44 patients with ASA were immunized with allogenic leukocytes for three successive cycles. ASA was not present in 35 women (79%) after immunotherapy. In 9 women, a decrease of ASA levels was revealed.

Conclusion. The mechanisms of the beneficial effect of immunoterapy for ASA remains to be elucidated. The important part belongs to antigenic cross-reactivity between lymphocytes and spermatozoa. It is possible that immunotherapy intends to stimulate the idiotype —antidiotypic antybody system to eliminate ASA and to induce the immune tolerance to sperm antigens.