Antisperm antibodies detection by flow cytometry is affected by aggregation of antigen–antibody complexes on the surface of spermatozoa

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) 2000-12, Vol.15 (12), p.2545-2553
• Main Authors: Nikolaeva, Marina A., Kulakov, Vladimir I., Korotkova, Irina V., Golubeva, Elena L., Kuyavskaya, Diana V., Sukhikh, Gennady T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antigen antibody complex; Antigen-Antibody Complex - analysis; antisperm antibodies; Autoantibodies - blood; Cytochalasin B - pharmacology; Flow Cytometry; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Fluorescent Dyes; human spermatozoa; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Infertility, Male - immunology; Male; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Reproducibility of Results; Sperm Count; Spermatozoa - immunology
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/15.12.2545

Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis of live antibody-coated spermatozoa subjected to immunofluorescence staining (FCM test) is considered an objective method for the quantitative detection of antisperm antibodies (ASA). But the cross-linking of cell surface antigen (Ag) with bivalent antibodies and/or antigen-antibody (Ag–Ab) complexes with second antibodies may induce the reorganization of surface components (patching and capping) and result in their shedding from the sperm surface. The present study estimates the relationship between aggregation of Ag–Ab complexes on the sperm surface and the results of indirect FCM test. Swim-up spermatozoa of normozoospermic men were incubated with ASA-positive sera from infertile patients and with second antibodies fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled goat anti-human IgG polyclonal antiserum under different conditions and then analysed by FCM and fluorescence microscopy. It was shown that low temperature, cytochalasin B, excess or lack of the primary and/or secondary antibodies and sperm fixation by paraformaldehyde may inhibit aggregation and shedding of Ag–Ab complexes and dramatically increase ASA quantity determined on the sperm surface. However, inhibition of aggregation on the live sperm surface was observed only in a minority of ASA-positive samples and was poorly reproducible using semen of different donors. A high probability of Ag–Ab complex shedding from the sperm surface during experimental manipulation limits the use of indirect FCM test for quantitative ASA determination.