Methods for Direct and Indirect Antisperm Antibody Testing

Abstract

Antisperm antibodies (ASA) are one well-known cause of refractory infertility in both males and females. In females, a sperm immobilization test, which detects sperm-immobilizing antibodies indirectly in the patient's serum, requires complement for the reaction and thus seems to be a more specific immunological reaction. In males, an immunobead test or a mixed antiglobulin reaction test, which detects ASA directly on the sperm surface, is a screening test because of the nonspecific reaction.

Serum Autoantibodies in Mice Immunized with Syngeneic Testicular Germ Cells Alone

“…Recently, Shibahara and Koriyama reported that a sperm immobilization test, which detects sperm-immobilizing antibodies indirectly in the female patient's serum, requires complement for the reaction and thus seems to be a more specific immunological reaction. 20 On the other hand, in males, an immunobead test or a mixed antiglobulin reaction test, which detects ASA directly on the sperm surface, is an ideal screening test because of the non-specific reaction. 20 Therefore, ASA tests in sera and/or semen are useful for screening of disturbance of fertilization but not for detection of orchitis.…”

“…20 On the other hand, in males, an immunobead test or a mixed antiglobulin reaction test, which detects ASA directly on the sperm surface, is an ideal screening test because of the non-specific reaction. 20 Therefore, ASA tests in sera and/or semen are useful for screening of disturbance of fertilization but not for detection of orchitis. On the other hand, studies on testicular biopsies revealed the presence of IgG deposits in the testes from 30 to 70% of infertile male patients.…”

The Prognostic Value of Seminal Anti-Sperm Antibodies Screening in Men Prepared for ICSI: A Call to Change the Current Antibody-directed Viewpoint of Sperm Autoimmunity Testing.

“…As such, we sought to evaluate the in uence of seminal plasma ASA on the outcomes of ICSI, in a casecontrol fashion. ASA could be detected directly on sperm surface using mixed agglutination reaction (MAR) and immunobead test (IBT), which are recommended by the current WHO guidelines due to their wide availability and easy performance, or indirectly in serum or seminal plasma [22,16]. Unfortunately, no interest was given to the relevance of the targeted antigens, the targeting antibody subclass, the synergetic effect of different ASA subclasses, or the severity of autoimmunization in the current guidelines.…”

Definitions and Epidemiology of Unexplained Male Infertility

“…Direct (detecting ASA on the sperm surface) and indirect (detecting ASA in the female genital tract or partners serum) testing can help identify ASA [22]. Both direct immunobead (D-IBT) and mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) tests show sperm bound ASA.…”