Use of microimmobilization and microagglutination assays for attempted detection of HLA antigens and beta2 microglobulin on human sperm.

Microtechniques for detecting sperm agglutinating and immobilizing antibodies are described. These assays are proved to be useful in the study of anti-sperm antibodies in the sera of vaseectomized men and the serum of a rhesus monkey immunized with human sperm. However, using various antisera against beta2 microglobulin and HLA region antigens, including Ia antigens, in these assays, very little, if any, activity was found against sperm. Absorption and inhibition tests also could not show a significant amount of these antigens on sperm. Although no HLA region antigens could be detected in the seminal plasma by inhibition tests, a large amount of beta2 microglobulin was found. It is suggested that some beta2 microglobulin could be adsorbed onto sperm, since mouse sperm was shown to pick up beta2 microglobulin after incubation with human seminal plasma. The maximum amounts of HLA region antigens and beta2 microglobulin in the seminal plasma are estimated.