Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of sperm antibodies in human serum and cervical mucus.

Sperm agglutinating antibodies are purified from sera and cervical mucus of women with unexplained causes of infertility which were positive in the FD-test. Fractionation was performed by affinity-chromatography in a batch device and the sperm agglutinating activity controlled by the Franklin and Dukes test. This sperm antibody fraction was determined via crossed immunoelectrophoresis by migration into an anti-human serum containing gel. In all cases only one big peak resulted. The negative control serum and mucus samples demonstrated no precipitation peaks. By absorption studies it was shown that the sperm agglutinating antibodies in sera were IgM and in cervical mucus IgA. The concentration of IgA and IgM was determined by comparison with standard human IgA and IgM. Thus only one serum- and one cervical mucus antibody seems to be responsible for agglutination. The number of experiments, however, is still too small for general conclusions. This method is easily and quickly performed and can therefore be used as a routine method for the determination of sperm agglutinating antibodies. Its application for sperm-immobilizing or cytotoxic activity remains to be tested.