Received 1 November 2007; received in revised form 15 November 2007; accepted 15 November 2007. published online 18 February 2008.
Sperm immunity in females can reduce the likelihood of natural conception, and sperm antibodies from female sera have been shown to inhibit IVF in humans and in several animal models. The etiology of sperm immunity in human females is unknown, but several possible mechanisms have been proposed, including cross-reactivity with microbial antigens and interferon gamma–mediated potentiation of the antisperm immune response in women whose male partners have sperm autoantibodies in their semen. This article reviews these ideas and postulates a novel hypothesis based on the potential for the generation of anti-idiotype antibodies in women whose partners have sperm antibodies in their semen.
Andrology Unit, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Reprint requests: Gary N. Clarke, D.Sc., Andrology Unit, Royal Women's Hospital, 321 Cardigan Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria 3053, Australia (FAX: 61-3-93442691).
ABSTRACT