Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sperm Functions Influenced by Immune Reactions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Immune Infertility

  • 1016 Accesses

Abstract

Antisperm antibodies (ASA) may interfere with different steps of the fertilization process. The dysfunction evolving depends on the cognate antigens of the ASA. The usual technique for their identification is 2D-Western blot and MALDI protein analysis. A great variety of antigens are responsible for sperm agglutination, sperm apoptosis and inhibition of sperm motility. Impairment of migration in the cervix mucus appears mostly to be independent from the cognate antigens of ASA, but to be a consequence complement activation and cell lysis. Influences of ASA on acrosome reaction reveal a special problem, since a large variety of cognate antigen are liberated only after acrosome reaction. The cognate antigens of ASA inhibiting zona binding and oolemma binding are the most promising structures for immunocontraception. Also pronucleus formation may be influenced by ASA, but the clinical relevance of the antigens involved remains unclear.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Auer J, Camoin L, Courtot AM, Hotellier F, De Almeida M (2004) Evidence that P36, a human sperm acrosomal antigen involved in the fertilization process is triosephosphate isomerase. Mol Reprod Dev 68(4):515–523

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bandivdekar AH, Vernekar VJ, Moodbidri SB, Koide SS (2001) Characterization of 80kDa human sperm antigen responsible for immunoinfertility. Am J Reprod Immunol 45:28–34

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bandivdekar AH, Vernekar VJ, Kamada M, Raghavan VP (2005) Antifertility effect of passive administration of antibodies to 80 kDa human sperm antigen and its synthetic peptides in male and female rats. Am J Reprod Immunol 54(6):332–341

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bastian Y, Roa-Espitia AL, Mújica A, Hernández-González EO (2010) Calpain modulates capacitation and acrosome reaction through cleavage of the spectrin cytoskeleton. Reproduction 140(5):673–684

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Batova IN, Richardson RT, Widgren EE, O’Rand MG (2000) Analysis of the autoimmune epitopes on human testicular NASP using recombinant and synthetic peptides. Clin Exp Immunol 121:201–209

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Bianchi E, Doe B, Goulding D, Wright GJ (2014) Juno is the egg Izumo receptor and is essential for mammalian fertilization. Nature 508(7497):483–487

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Bohring C, Skrzypek J, Krause W (2001) Influence of antisperm antibodies on the acrosome reaction as determined by flow cytometry. Fertil Steril 76(2):275–280

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bohring C, Krause E, Habermann B, Krause W (2001a) Isolation and identification of sperm membrane antigens recognized by antisperm antibodies, and their possible role in immunological infertility disease. Mol Hum Reprod 7:113–118

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bronson RA, Cooper GW, Rosenfeld DL, Gilbert JV, Plaut AG (1987) the effect of an IgA1 protease on immunoglobulins bound to the sperm surface and sperm cervical mucus penetrating ability. Fertil Steril 47:985–991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Brunner-Agten S, Pavlovic R, Müller L, Horn MP, Huber AR, Stadler BM, Vogel M (2013) Increased level of antibodies cross-reacting with Ves v 5 and CRISP-2 in MAR-positive patients. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 160(1):47–55

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Busso D, Cohen DJ, Hayashi M, Kasahara M, Cuasnicú PS (2005) Human testicular protein TPX1/CRISP-2: localization in spermatozoa, fate after capacitation and relevance for gamete interaction. Mol Hum Reprod 11(4):299–305

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Castro A, Parodi D, Morales I, Madariaga M, Rios R, Smith R (2004) Absence of Fas protein detection by flow cytometry in human spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 81(4):1019–1025

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chan CP, Gupta S, Mark GE (1999) Identification of linear surface epitopes on the guinea pig sperm membrane protein PH-20. Life Sci 64:1989–2000

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cheng GY, Shi JL, Wang M, Hu YQ, Liu CM, Wang YF, Xu C (2007) Inhibition of mouse acrosome reaction and sperm-zona pellucida binding by anti-human sperm membrane protein 1 antibody. Asian J Androl 9(1):23–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Chiu WW, Erikson EK, Sole CA, Shelling AN, Chamley LW (2004) SPRASA, a novel sperm protein involved in immune-mediated infertility. Hum Reprod 19(2):243–249

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Clarke GN (1985) Induction of the shaking phenomenon by IgA class antispermatozoal antibodies from serum. Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol 9:12–14

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Domagala A, Pulido S, Kamieniczna M, Kurpisz M, Herr JC (2011) An isoimmune response to human sperm clathrin in an infertile woman with systemic lupus erythematosus. J Reprod Immunol 89(1):95–102

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Feng HL, Han YB, Sparks AE, Sandlow JI (2008) Characterization of human sperm antigens reacting with anti-sperm antibodies from an infertile female patient’s serum. J Androl 29(4):440–448

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Feng HL, Sandlow JI, Zheng LJ (2005) C-kit receptor and its possible function in human spermatozoa. Mol Reprod Dev 70(1):103–110

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Francavilla F, Romano R, Santucci R (1991) Effect of sperm-antibodies on acrosome reaction of human sperm used for the hamster egg penetration assay. Am J Reprod Immunol 25:77–80

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Fu J, Wang Y, Fok KL, Yang D, Qiu Y, Chan HC, Koide SS, Miao S, Wang L (2012) Anti-ACTL7a antibodies: a cause of infertility. Fertil Steril 97(5):1226–33.e1–8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Grizzi F, Chiriva-Internati M, Franceschini B, Hermonat PL, Soda G, Lim SH, Dioguardi N (2003) Immunolocalization of sperm protein 17 in human testis and ejaculated spermatozoa. J Histochem Cytochem 51(9):1245–1248

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Haas GG Jr (1987) Immunologic infertility. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 14:1069–1085

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Hamatani T, Tanabe K, Kamei K, Sakai N, Yamamoto Y, Yoshimura Y (2000) A monoclonal antibody to human SP-10 inhibits in vitro the binding of human sperm to hamster oolemma but not to human Zona pellucida. Biol Reprod 62(5):1201–1208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Hasegawa A, Shigeta M, Shibahara H (2016) Sperm immobilizing antibody and its target antigen. Immune Infertility [Epub ahead of print]

    Google Scholar 

  26. Inaba K, Morisawa S, Morisawa M (1998) Proteasomes regulate the motility of salmonid fish sperm through modulation of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of an outer arm dynein light chain. J Cell Sci 111:1105–1115

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Inoue N, Ikawa M, Isotani A, Okabe M (2005) The immunoglobulin superfamily protein Izumo is required for sperm to fuse with eggs. Nature 434(7030):234–238

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Jager S, Kremer J, Kuiken J, van Slochteren-Draaisma T, Mulder I, de Wilde-Janssen IW (1981) Induction of the shaking phenomenon by pretreatment of spermatozoa with sera containing antispermatozoal antibodies. Fertil Steril 36(6):784–791

    Google Scholar 

  29. Jiang H, Pillai S (1998) Complement regulatory proteins on the sperm surface: relevance to sperm motility. Am J Reprod Immunol 39:243–248

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kamieniczna M, Domagała A, Kurpisz M (2003) The frequency of antisperm antibodies in infertile couples – a Polish pilot study. Med Sci Monit 9(4):CR142–CR149

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Koide SS, Wang L, Kamada M (2000) Antisperm antibodies associated with infertility: properties and encoding genes of target antigens. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 224:123–132

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Kong M, Richardson RT, Widgren EE, O’Rand MG (1995) Sequence and localization of the mouse sperm autoantigenic protein, Sp17. Biol Reprod 53(3):579–590

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kuang Y, Yan YC, Gao AW, Zhai YM, Miao SY, Wang LF, Koide SS (2000) Immune responses in rats following oral immunization with attenuated Salmonella typhimurium expressing human sperm antigen. Arch Androl 45:169–180

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kurth BE, Digilio L, Snow P, Bush LA, Wolkowicz M, Shetty J, Mandal A, Hao Z, Reddi PP, Flickinger CJ, Herr JC (2008) Immunogenicity of a multi-component recombinant human acrosomal protein vaccine in female Macaca fascicularis. J Reprod Immunol 77(2):126–141. Epub 2007 Jul 23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Lea IA, Adoyo P, O’Rand MG (1997) Autoimmunogenicity of the human sperm protein Sp17 in vasectomized men and identification of linear B cell epitopes. Fertil Steril 67(2):355–361

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Lea IA, Richardson RT, Widgren EE, O’Rand MG (1996) Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs encoding the human sperm protein, Sp17. Biochim Biophys Acta 1307(3):263–266

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lea IA, Widgren EE, O’Rand MG (2004) Association of sperm protein 17 with A-kinase anchoring protein 3 in flagella. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2:57

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Li H, Ding X, Guo C, Guan H, Xiong C (2012) Immunization of male mice with B-cell epitopes in transmembrane domains of CatSper1 inhibits fertility. Fertil Steril 97(2):445–452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Li HG, Liao AH, Ding XF, Zhou H, Xiong CL (2006) The expression and significance of CATSPER1 in human testis and ejaculated spermatozoa. Asian J Androl 8(3):301–306

    Google Scholar 

  40. Liu B, Tang M, Han Z, Li J, Zhang J, Lu P, Song N, Wang Z, Yin C, Zhang W (2014) Co-incubation of human spermatozoa with anti-VDAC antibody reduced sperm motility. Cell Physiol Biochem 33(1):142–150

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Liu DY, Clarke GN, Baker HW (1991) Inhibition of human sperm-zona pellucida and sperm-oolemma binding by antisperm antibodies. Fertil Steril 55:440–442

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Mahony MC, Blackmore PF, Bronson RA, Alexander NJ (1991) Inhibition of human sperm-zona pellucida tight binding in the presence of antisperm antibody positive polyclonal patient sera. J Reprod Immunol 19:287–301

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Margalit M, Yogev L, Yavetz H, Lehavi O, Hauser R, Botchan A, Barda S, Levitin F, Weiss M, Pastan I, Wreschner DH, Paz G, Kleiman SE (2012) Involvement of the prostate and testis expression (PATE)-like proteins in sperm-oocyte interaction. Hum Reprod 27(5):1238–1248

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Menge AC, Christman GM, Ohl DA, Naz RK (1999) Fertilization antigen-1 removes antisperm autoantibodies from spermatozoa of infertile men and results in increased rates of acrosome reaction. Fertil Steril 71:256–260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Naaby-Hansen S, Herr JC (2010) Heat shock proteins on the human sperm surface. J Reprod Immunol 84(1):32–40. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2009.09.006. Epub 2009 Dec 3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Naz RK (1992) Effects of antisperm antibodies on early cleavage of fertilized ova. Biol Reprod 46:130–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Naz RK (2008) Immunocontraceptive effect of Izumo and enhancement by combination vaccination. Mol Reprod Dev 75(2):336–344

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Naz RK, Zhu X, Kadam AL (2000) Identification of human sperm peptide sequence involved in egg binding for immunocontraception. Biol Reprod 62:318–324

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Neilson LI, Schneider PA, Van Deerlin PG, Kiriakidou M, Driscoll DA, Pellegrini MC, Millinder S, Yamamoto KK, French CK, Strauss JF 3rd (1999) cDNA cloning and characterization of a human sperm antigen (SPAG6) with homology to the product of the Chlamydomonas PF16 locus. Genomics 60:272–280

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Norton EJ, Diekman AB, Westbrook VA, Flickinger CJ, Herr JC (2001) RASA, a recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody directed against the human sperm surface: implications for novel contraceptives. Hum Reprod 16:1854–1860

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Paasch U, Grunewald S, Glander HJ (2002) Presence of up- and downstream caspases in relation to impairment of human spermatogenesis. Andrologia 34:279–280, abstract

    Google Scholar 

  52. Palermo GD, Colombero LT, Rosenwaks Z (1997) The human sperm centrosome is responsible for normal syngamy and early embryonic development. Rev Reprod 2:19–27

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Petit FM, Serres C, Auer J (2014) Moonlighting proteins in sperm-egg interactions. Biochem Soc Trans 42(6):1740–1743

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Shibahara H, Shiraishi Y, Hirano Y, Kasumi H, Koyama K, Suzuki M (2007) Relationship between level of serum sperm immobilizing antibody and its inhibitory effect on sperm migration through cervical mucus in immunologically infertile women. Am J Reprod Immunol 57(2):142–146

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Tamburrino L, Marchiani S, Vicini E, Muciaccia B, Cambi M, Pellegrini S, Forti G, Muratori M, Baldi E (2015) Quantification of CatSper1 expression in human spermatozoa and relation to functional parameters. Hum Reprod 30(7):1532–1544. doi:10.1093/humrep/dev103. Epub 2015 May 15

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Vazquez-Levin MH, Marín-Briggiler CI, Veaute C (2014) Antisperm antibodies: invaluable tools toward the identification of sperm proteins involved in fertilization. Am J Reprod Immunol 72(2):206–218

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Veaute C, Furlong LI, Bronson R, Harris JD, Vazquez-Levin MH (2009) Acrosin antibodies and infertility. I. Detection of antibodies towards proacrosin/acrosin in women consulting for infertility and evaluation of their effects upon the sperm protease activities. Fertil Steril 91(4):1245–1255

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Wagner A, Holland OJ, Tong M, Shelling AN, Chamley LW (2015) The role of SPRASA in female fertility. Reprod Sci 22(4):452–461

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Wang M, Shi JL, Cheng GY, Hu YQ, Xu C (2009) The antibody against a nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein can result in reproductive failure. Asian J Androl 11(2):183–192

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Wang Z, Zhang Y, Mandal A, Zhang J, Giles FJ, Herr JC, Lim SH (2004) The spermatozoa protein, SLLP1, is a novel cancer-testis antigen in hematologic malignancies. Clin Cancer Res 10(19):6544–6550

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Wang C, Baker HW, Jennings MG, Burger HG, Lutjen P (1985) Interaction between human cervical mucus and sperm surface antibodies. Fertil Steril 44:484–488

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Williams J, Samuel A, Naz RK (2008) Presence of antisperm antibodies reactive with peptide epitopes of FA-1 and YLP12 in sera of immunoinfertile women. Am J Reprod Immunol 59(6):518–524

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Xiang SD, Gao Q, Wilson KL, Heyerick A, Plebanski M. Mapping T and B cell epitopes in sperm protein 17 to support the development of an ovarian cancer vaccine. Vaccine. 2015. 33(44):5950–5959. pii: S0264-410X(15)01098-1

    Google Scholar 

  64. Xu B, Copolla M, Herr JC, Timko MP (2007) Expression of a recombinant human sperm-agglutinating mini-antibody in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Soc Reprod Fertil Suppl 63:465–477

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Zhang CH, Li FQ, Yang AL, Sun W, Miao JW (2007) Detection of anti-Sp17 antibodies in infertile patients’ serum and its clinical significance. Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue 13(1):27–29

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Zhang J, Ding X, Bian Z, Xia Y, Lu C, Wang S, Song L, Wang X (2010) The effect of anti-eppin antibodies on ionophore A23187-induced calcium influx and acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod 25(1):29–36

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Zhang X, Ibrahim E, de Rivero Vaccari JP, Lotocki G, Aballa TC, Dietrich WD, Keane RW, Lynne CM, Brackett NL (2013) Involvement of the inflammasome in abnormal semen quality of men with spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 99(1):118–124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Zhu X, Naz RK (1997) Fertilization antigen-1: cDNA cloning, testis-specific expression, and immunocontraceptive effects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 944:704–709

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Philipp University, Marburg, 35033, Germany

    Walter K. H. Krause

Authors
  1. Walter K. H. Krause
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Walter K. H. Krause .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital, Philipp University, Marburg, Germany

    Walter K.H. Krause

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, West Virgina University, Morgantown, USA

    Rajesh K. Naz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Krause, W.K.H. (2017). Sperm Functions Influenced by Immune Reactions. In: Krause, W., Naz, R. (eds) Immune Infertility. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40788-3_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40788-3_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40786-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40788-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation