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  • Title: Sperm antigens in fertilization.
    Author: Saling PM.
    Journal: Immunol Allergy Clin North Am; 1990 Feb; 10(1):149-64. PubMed ID: 12283429.
    Abstract:
    A review of sperm antigens involved in fertilization includes a description of sperm differentiation, seminal fluid components that coat sperm, sperm antigens involved in binding to the zona pellucida (ZP), antigens involved in the acrosome reaction, in zona pellucida penetration, and those active in fusion with the ova membrane. Sperm antigens are located in certain domains of the cell, and they are altered during capacitation and passage through the female tract. Caltrin and acrosome-stabilizing factor are applied by seminal fluid. At least 2 antigens have been studied that occur in sterile women, although one cross reacts with milk proteins. Some antigens active in ZP binding are trypsin, proacrosin, acrosin, PH-20 from guinea pigs, and rabbit sperm autoantigen I. Antigens involved in the acrosome reaction, such as M42, are likely to cross react with other body proteins that also entail exocytosis. A mouse antigen involved in ZP penetration, MS 207 is well characterized. PH-30 from guinea pigs and M29 from mouse participate in sperm-egg membrane fusion, as does fertilization antigen I from human and mouse sperm which is know to cause infertility. Oddly, patients' sera react with polymers but not monomers of this antigen. Studies with antisperm antibodies suggest that it will not be necessary to agglutinate all sperm to block fertility, only to inhibit a single sperm epitope and function. It will probably be feasible to inhibit multiple successive events, and possibly to induce temporary immunity.
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