[Detection of anti-Sp17 antibodies in infertile patients' serum and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To test anti-Sp17 antibodies in the serum of AsAb positive infertile patients, to investigate the proportion of anti-Spl7 antibodies in AsAb and their potential application to the serologic diagnosis of immune infertility and immunocontraception. METHODS: With human recombinant Sp17 as the antigen, the ELISA method was used to detect the positive rate, antibody titre and content of anti-Sp17 antibodies in the AsAb positive serum. RESULTS: The positive rate of anti-Sp17 antibodies in the AsAb positive serum was 56.5%, with no significant difference in the gender aspect. The percentage of anti-Sp17 antibodies in AsAb was (10.09 +/-7.45) %, with statistical significance (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Sp17 is an important sperm antigen. Anti-Sp17 antibodies in the serum can be taken as auxiliary diagnostic index of infertility, and Sp17 is shown to be a potential candidate immunocontraception vaccine.

[To explore the clinical significance of HBV large protein (HBV-LP) in diagnosing viral replication].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of HBV large protein (HBV-LP) in diagnosing viral replication, we detected the HBV-LP, HBV DNA and the hepatitis B viral markers (HBV M) in the serum of the patients infected with HBV. METHODS: HBV-LP and HBV M were analyzed by using ELISA. HBV-DNA was quantitatively detected using real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: (1) No significant difference between the detectable rate of HBV DNA and HBV-LP was found in the same HBV M (P 0.05). (2) No significant difference between the positive rate of HBV DNA and HBV-LP was found in HBeAg negative patients. (3) The contents of serum HBV-LP was positively correlated with the number of HBV DNA copies. CONCLUSION: There was a close correlation between the positive rate of HBV-LP and HBV DNA, and HBV-LP is a reliable serological marker that can reflect the replication of HBV.

[Preparation and characterization of the monoclonal antibody against human sperm protein 17].

AIM: To prepare and characterize the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against sperm protein 17 (Sp17). METHODS: Human Sp17 cDNA was cloned and recombinant Sp17 protein was expressed as a fusion protein with an N-terminal 6-His tag. The purified recombinant Sp17 protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice for preparing mAb. mAb-produced hybridoma cells were screened by ELISA and the specificity of mAb was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and blocking test. RESULTS: Two hybridoma cells (3C12 and 3D6) secreting mAb against Sp17 were developed. The isotypes of these two mAbs, 3C12 and 3D6, were IgG(1) and IgM, respectively. ELISA detection showed that titers of mAbs, 3C12 and 3D6, were 1:64, 1:32 in cultured supernatant and 1:1 x 10(5), 1:5 x 10(4) in ascites, respectively. The results of immunohistochemical staining and blocking test indicated that 2 mAb specifically bound to Sp17 in human and rat testis and human ejaculated spermatozoa. Anti-Sp17 mAb also detected Sp17 in ovarian cancer. CONCLUSION: The successful preparation of anti-Sp17 mAb will be useful for assessing the native distribution and aberrant expression of Sp17 protein.