RESUMO
Immunological deposits in the testis and circulating antibodies to spermatozoa are presented as a possible explanation for infertility in man. Testicular biopsy specimens from infertile patients (N = 52) as well as from fertile controls (N = 6) were analyzed immunohistochemically by using semithin sections. Immunoglobulin deposits were found in the testes of 21 patients. Antibody deposits were observed on the seminiferous tubule wall, on germ cells or in the interstitium. In two cases, the C3 complement component was detected on the tubular wall and in one case on atypical spermatogonia. Deposits of immunoglobulin class G were found most frequently, and were often attached to the seminiferous tubule wall. In addition, the occurrence of circulating antisperm antibodies in the sera of these patients was examined by a recently developed method, the immunobeads binding test. A significant number of patients with normal spermatogenesis had antibodies that exhibited a strong binding reaction to spermatozoa as observed by the immunobeads binding test. It is suggested that at least two different immunological mechanisms may be involved in pathological infertility: an immunoglobulin deposit, induced locally in the testis, in a manner specifically against the germ cells and the seminiferous tubular basement membrane, or in a manner nonspecifically against seminiferous tubular wall, and asystemically induced immunoglobulin production which is directed against spermatozoal antigens.
Assuntos
Autoanticorpos/análise , Imunoglobulinas/metabolismo , Infertilidade Masculina/imunologia , Espermatozoides/imunologia , Testículo/imunologia , Imunofluorescência , Histocitoquímica , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/metabolismo , Testes Imunológicos , MasculinoRESUMO
Family histories of 189 patients with lymphomas and leukemias and 14 patients with stomach cancer were used in this study. Controls consisted of family histories of 391 patients with other tumors. In the 189 probands with lymphoproliferative disorders stomach cancer accounted for 17.3% of the total cancers in the relatives, whereas in the probands with breast and other types of cancer the corresponding figures were 8.1% and 8.3% as against an incidence of 5.9% of stomach cancers in Basel. In first-degree relatives, the incidence of stomach cancer was higher than expected in the families of probands with malignant lymphoma and stomach cancer. It is suggested that an inherited subclinical disturbance of the immune system is involved in familial association of stomach cancer with malignant lymphoproliferative disorders.
Assuntos
Leucemia/genética , Linfoma/genética , Neoplasias Gástricas/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/mortalidade , Doença de Hodgkin/genética , Doença de Hodgkin/mortalidade , Humanos , Linfoma/mortalidade , Mieloma Múltiplo/genética , Probabilidade , Neoplasias Gástricas/mortalidadeRESUMO
Routine examination of a testis biopsy from a patient with oligospermia and a large varicocele in his left testicle and who was childless for over 2 years showed carcinoma in situ (CIS) with atypic spermatogonia in his right testicle. Immunohistochemical investigations of this tissue revealed large intracellular deposits of immunoglobulin G (IgG) restricted to the atypical cells. By blot-immunobinding test of the patient's serum, circulating antibodies against a molecule with an approximate molecular weight of 60 kD were found. Such antibodies were not found in a total of over 500 infertile patients and fertile controls examined. This molecule was extracted from pooled normal human sperms by trypsin digestion and eluted out of a sodium dodecyl-sulphate polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). This elute is currently used for raising monoclonal antibodies. An analysis of the direct chromosome preparations from the testis biopsy showed both numerical and structural chromosomal aberrations. This might indicate that the atypical cells have already been transformed and hence could be considered as malignant.
Assuntos
Doenças Autoimunes/genética , Disgerminoma/genética , Neoplasias Testiculares/genética , Adulto , Autoanticorpos/análise , Doenças Autoimunes/imunologia , Aberrações Cromossômicas , Disgerminoma/imunologia , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Histocitoquímica , Humanos , Imunoquímica , Imunoglobulina G/análise , Infertilidade Masculina/etiologia , Masculino , Microscopia Eletrônica , Espermatozoides/imunologia , Neoplasias Testiculares/imunologia , TripsinaRESUMO
A blot-immunobinding test was used to detect anti-sperm antibodies in human sera and to identify the corresponding auto- or iso-antigens on human sperm. A high proportion of sera at a 1:100 dilution from fertile persons, as well as infertile patients, contains antibodies reactive with sperm. This phenomenon might be physiological. At 1:2,000 dilution, a higher binding capacity was detected in the sera from infertile groups, but a few fertile persons were also positive. Antibodies to a single antigenic determinant with Mr of approximately 14,000 were found in a significantly higher proportion among males with unexplained infertility.
