The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between serum anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies and anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) in patients with gastroduodenal diseases caused by H. pylori, infertile patients positive for ASA and healthy fertile blood donors as controls. Serum ASA were studied by sperm agglutination tests, sperm immobilization test and ELISA against sperm antigens (ELISAsp). Serum IgG anti-H. pylori antibodies were detected by ELISA (ELISAHp). The tests revealed significantly higher incidence of ASA in patients with gastroduodenal diseases compared to the controls (P < 0.0001). The median levels of both types of antibodies were significantly higher in infertile patients than in patients with upper gastroduodenal diseases in all tests applied (sperm agglutination and immobilization tests P < 0.0001; ELISAsp P D 0.006; ELISAHp, P D 0.0008). Significant linear correlation was found between anti-H. pylori antibodies and ASA detected by sperm immobilization test (r D 0.613, P D 0.05) in the group of patients with gastroduodenal disease, as well as a weak linear correlation was established between anti-H. pylori antibodies and ASA in ELISAsp (r D 0.275, P D 0.0051) in the same group. These results suggest that H. pylori infection may play a role in the induction of ASA.

There is a distinct group among the patients with unexplained infertility who are found to have enhanced humoral immune response. Recent studies focus on the expression of stress proteins being an important factor in the stages of gametogenesis, fertilization, implantation, early embryonic development and pregnancy. Increased expression of stress proteins and immune response against them was found in tissues exposed to stress. There is not enough data linking infertility to expression and immunity of a-crystallins in patients with endocrine diseases. The aim of this work was to study anti-a-crystallin antibodies in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Graves' disease, autoimmune thyroiditis, diabetes mellitus and obesity. Sera samples from 169 women with endocrine disorders (PCOS (n = 68); Graves' disease (n = 26); autoimmune thyroiditis (n = 32); diabetes mellitus (n = 10); and obesity (n = 33)) were tested by ELISA. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS program. The concentration of anti-a-crystallin antibodies is significantly elevated in the PCOS group compared to the control group (p = 0.021). The frequency of positive sera in the same group of patients is significantly higher compared to the control group (p = 0.029). In all other groups, no statistically significant elevation was observed. Elevated concentrations of anti-a-crystallin antibodies found in patients with PCOS suggest that the increased production of anti-a-crystallin antibodies in women with PCOS is most probably caused by failure of the immune tolerance and the induction of immune response. This is most likely due to an increased expression of this stress protein as a result of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

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SummaryThe reaction of anti-sperm antibody-positive sera from infertile women with fractionated mouse ovarian antigens was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antigens were obtained by extraction for nuclear matrix and intermediate laments (NM-IF) producing three protein fractions -soluble, cytoskeletal and NM-IF. The results showed that sera from some infertile patients, but not control sera, react with either the soluble fraction or the NM-IF fraction. The reaction with soluble proteins was most likely directed against surface antigens, possibly aggravating the fertility problems, while the anti-NM-IF antibodies could indicate release of insoluble intracellular components by tissue damage of unknown origin.