Showing papers in "Andrologia in 1978"

Immunologic aspects of vasovasostomy.

Abstract: To determine the role of autoimmunity following vasovasostomy immunologic testing and semen analysis of 30 men (Group A consisted of 16 men with postvasovasostomy sperm count of 10 million or more and Group B consisted of 14 azoospermic or severely oligozoospermic men) were conducted. No significant clinical differences were observed between the 2 groups. Following insemination of the husbands sperms on 12 wives 2 pregnancies occurred after AIH 2 more after unsuccessful AIH and 1 before any insemination was performed. Semen analysis of the husbands whose wives conceived after insemination revealed 50% or better motility and little or no agglutination with titers of 1:32 or less compared with the 5th husbands sperm which exhibited only 15% motility and severe agglutinzation with titer of 1:512. The findings indicate the occurence of sperm antibody production following vasectomy by resorption of sperm within the epididymal space by extravasation of sperm at the vasectomy site following surgery and by disruption of blood-testis barrier during surgery. It was postulated that sperm agglutination and immobilization occur following production of sperm antibodies thus reducing mucus penetration and resulting subsequent secondary infertility. More conclusive studies are needed to better understand immune response.

Autoimmunity to sperm.

Abstract: 1. Sperm-specific antigens behave immunologically more like foreign than self antigens. 2. Consequences of autoimmune response to testicular and/or sperm antigens can result in allergic orchitis, postvasoligation orchitis, and infertility. In these conditions, multiple pathogenetic mechanisms, including immune complexes and T-cell-mediated immune reaction, have been shown to be important. 3. Normally, factors that circumvent sperm autoimmune disease are likely to be multiple. Besides the mechanism of sperm-antigen sequestration, other controlling mechanisms also should be considered.