Human seminal plasma inhibition of complement.

Recent studies have shown that human seminal plasma contains chemically and biologically distinct factors which inhibit lymphocyte functions and the serum bactericidal and opsonic activities associated with the killing of gram-negative organisms. Because of the direct association between complement action and serum bactericidal and opsonic activities, inhibition of complement may be one of the possible mechanisms of action of seminal plasma immunoinhibitory factors. Complement hemolytic activity was measured for C3 and C4 in serum Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Escherichia coli bactericidal reaction mixtures with and without addition of seminal plasma. In the presence of seminal plasma, where there was no bactericidal action, C3 and titers were reduced to approximately 50% of the titers in the reactions with complement donor serum. The C3 titers were lower than in the reaction mixtures with immune serum and complement donor serum, where N. gonorrhoeae bactericidal activity occurred. Individual human seminal plasma specimens depressed CH50 activity of pooled normal human sera up to 50% of normal levels. There were no differences in inhibition by seminal plasma specimens from normal or vasectomized men. Treatment with seminal plasma depressed the functional activity of complement components C1 and C3 by more than 50%. Seminal plasma also inhibited alternate pathway activity. Cleavage of factor B was demonstrated. The seminal plasma factor which inhibited complement was of low molecular weight. DPF blocked the seminal plasma complement-inhibitory factor. However, amidolytic activity for serine protease substrates could not be demonstrated. It is likely that the seminal plasma complement inhibitor is a protease inhibitor acting singly or in combination.