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  • Title: The immune response to vasectomy and its relation to the HLA system.
    Author: Law HY, Bodmer WF, Mathews JD, Skegg DC.
    Journal: Tissue Antigens; 1979 Aug; 14(2):115-39. PubMed ID: 386565.
    Abstract:
    We examined 188 men who had undergone vasectomy up to 6 years previously and, for comparative purposes, 100 men who were about to undergo the operation. Blood specimens were available from a total of 283 men. Sperm antibody assays using immunofluorescence, microagglutination, and microimmobilization confirmed that the prevalance of several types of antibody is higher after vasectomy. Immobilizing and agglutinating antibodies appeared to be the most important. Trends in antibody prevalence according to the time after the operation were analyzed. Screening against lymphocytes and lymphoid lines showed that the anti-sperm activity of era was not related to anti-HLA or anti-Ia activity. Associations were examined between different types of sperm antibody, and between these antibodies and autoantibodies to other antigens. When antibody prevalence was studied in relation to HLA types, the HLA antigen A28 was found to be strongly associated with production of head agglutinating antibody (and immobilizing and immunofluorescent equatorial antibodies) after vasectomy. This is one of the first clear-cut examples of antibody production associated with the HLA system. This epidemiological study of 188 men who had undergone vasectomy up to 6 years previously, attempted to investigate the possibility that development of antibodies after vasectomy is associated with possession of certain HLA antigens. 100 men were also examined before vasectomy. Blood specimens were assayed from 283 men in all. Various sperm antibody assays were performed, including microagglutination, immunofluorescence, and microimmobilization. Immunofluorescent antibodies against the equatorial and tail regions were common both before and after vasectomy. However, the prevalence of equatorial antibodies was significantly higher after vasectomy (from 1-5%). In general, the increased prevalence of immobilizing and agglutinating antibodies after vasectomy seemed the most important. When examined for trends of prevalence in terms of time postvasectomy, both postnuclear and strong tail antibodies became commoner with time after the operation. In terms of combinations of antibodies occurring, it was found that head agglutinating antibody developing after vasectomy usually accompanied tail agglutinating antibody production. There were no significant differences between frequencies of antibodies in different age groups in this study. 13 pairs of antibodies were found to be significantly associated in men who had undergone vasectomy; in particular, when antibody prevalence was studied in relation to HLA types, the HLA antigen A28 was found to be strongly associated with production of head agglutinating antibody (and immobilizing and immunofluorescent equatorial antibodies) after vasectomy, providing the first clear-cut examples of antibody production associated with the HLA system. When sera were screened against lymphocytes and lymphoid lines, the anti-sperm activity of sera was not related to anti-HLA or anti-Ia activity. 12 tables and 6 figures present the exact data and show associations between sperm antibody and autoantibodies to other anigens.
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