Eggert-Kruse Waltraud, Neuer Andreas, Clussmann Claudia, Boit Ruxandra, Geissler Wiebke, Rohr Gerhard, Strowitzki Thomas
Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Women's University Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Vosstrasse 9, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany.
Hum Reprod. 2002 Mar;17(3):726-35. doi: 10.1093/humrep/17.3.726.
Heat shock proteins (HSP) are essential mammalian and bacterial stress proteins. At the cellular level, they act as chaperones, have important regulatory functions, and are considered to be an essential factor for reproduction. Scarce information exists on the role of sensitization to HSP and the potential role in the aetiology of male infertility.
The potential association of immunoglobulin (Ig)A antibodies (Ab) to the human 60 kDa heat shock protein (HSP 60) with several parameters of subclinical male genital tract infection/inflammation and with semen quality and sperm fertilizing capacity was analysed in a prospective study. IgA Ab to human HSP 60 were determined in seminal plasma of 202 randomly chosen male partners of subfertile couples with a median duration of infertility of 4 years (range 1-15 years), who were asymptomatic for genital tract infection. After medical history and clinical examination, a comprehensive evaluation of semen quality, in aliquots of the same ejaculates used for HSP Ab determination, included: sperm analysis; local antisperm antibody (ASA) screening; standardized sperm-cervical mucus (CM) penetration testing; immunocytochemical round cell differentiation to determine seminal leukocyte counts; evaluation of complement fraction C(3) and of some pro-inflammatory cytokines; and microbial screening. Subsequent fertility was recorded after 6 months.
The presence of HSP 60 IgA Ab in seminal fluid (total positive 6.9%) was significantly associated with leukocytospermia, the presence of C(3), and also with high interleukin (IL) levels in seminal plasma. HSP 60 Ab were not related to the bacterial colonization of ejaculates. There was no association of seminal IgA Ab to human HSP 60 with semen quality, determined with microscopical semen analysis, nor with local IgG- or IgA-class ASA. There was no relationship with sperm intrinsic motility and duration of motility in the sperm CM-penetration test, nor with sperm fertilizing capacity.
The combined presence of IgA Ab to human 60 kDa HSP, leukocytes and other established infection/inflammation markers in semen might suggest a potential role of the immune response to heat shock proteins (HSP) in cases of silent male genital tract infection, but the results do not indicate a marked relationship of HSP 60 Ab in seminal fluid with standard parameters of semen quality.
热休克蛋白（HSP）是哺乳动物和细菌体内的重要应激蛋白。在细胞水平上，它们作为伴侣蛋白发挥作用，具有重要的调节功能，并且被认为是生殖过程中的一个关键因素。关于对HSP致敏的作用以及在男性不育病因学中的潜在作用，现有信息较少。
在一项前瞻性研究中，分析了人60 kDa热休克蛋白（HSP 60）的免疫球蛋白（Ig）A抗体（Ab）与亚临床男性生殖道感染/炎症的几个参数、精液质量和精子受精能力之间的潜在关联。在202名随机选择的不育夫妇男性伴侣的精浆中测定人HSP 60的IgA Ab，这些男性不育的中位时间为4年（范围1 - 15年），且无生殖道感染症状。在采集病史和进行临床检查后，对用于测定HSP Ab的同一射精样本进行精液质量的综合评估，包括：精子分析；局部抗精子抗体（ASA）筛查；标准化精子 - 宫颈黏液（CM）穿透试验；免疫细胞化学圆形细胞分化以确定精液白细胞计数；补体C(3)和一些促炎细胞因子的评估；以及微生物筛查。6个月后记录后续的生育情况。
精液中存在HSP 60 IgA Ab（总阳性率6.9%）与白细胞精子症、C(3)的存在以及精浆中高白细胞介素（IL）水平显著相关。HSP 60 Ab与射精液中的细菌定植无关。精液中针对人HSP 60的IgA Ab与通过显微镜精液分析测定的精液质量以及局部IgG或IgA类ASA均无关联。在精子CM穿透试验中，与精子内在活力和活力持续时间无关，也与精子受精能力无关。
精液中存在针对人60 kDa HSP的IgA Ab、白细胞和其他已确定的感染/炎症标志物，这可能表明在无症状男性生殖道感染病例中，对热休克蛋白（HSP）的免疫反应具有潜在作用，但结果并未表明精液中的HSP 60 Ab与精液质量的标准参数有明显关系。
