Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Intrafollicular fluid antigamete antibodies in infertile patient candidates for ICSI

Authors
Soheila Arefi 1
Mohammad Mehdi Akhondi 2
Mohammad Reza Sadeghi 2
Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani 3
Mahnaz Heidari 2
Asghar Talebian 2
Ali Ahmad Bayat 3
Ali Sadeghpour Tabaei 4
1 Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
2 Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
3 Monoclonal Antibody Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Rajaie Heart Center, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Immunologic disturbances must be considered as a major cause of infertility. Antigamete antibodies like antisperm antibodies (ASA) and to anti-zona antibodies (AZA) seem to be implicated in the etiology of infertility. These antibodies affect fertilization and embryo development. It is important to screen these antibodies in infertile women who are candidates for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), because the presence of these antibodies may switch the treatment from IVF to intra-cytoplasmic microinjection (ICSI). The objective of this study was to deter-mine the presence of ASA and AZA in the follicular fluids (FF) of women who sought candida-cy for ICSI. Materials & Methods: In this prospective study, the follicular fluids of 96 infertile women (20 to 39 years old, mean 31.5±5.1), who were candidates for ICSI, were evaluated. According to the etiologies, 80 women had explained whereas 16 had unexplained infertility. All the follicular fluids were evaluated for the presence of ASA by ELISA and Sperm MAR test and also for the presence of AZA by ELISA. The data were analyzed by Chi-square test using SPSS soft-ware and the significance level was considered p < 0.05. Results: According to the results of ELISA and Sperm MAR test, none of the patients had ASA in their follicular fluids. However, twenty samples (20.8%) were positive for AZA. In patients with unexplained infertility, autoantibodies to zona pellucida were significantly higher in the follicular fluid than the group with proven etiologies for infertility (p=0.001). Conclusion: The low incidence of ASA and the high incidence of AZA in the infertile women in this study, especially in women with unexplained infertility in Iran have to be considered seriously. Determination of AZA is highly recommended in the evaluation of infertile couples, especially those with unexplained infertility.
Keywords
In vitro fertilization
anti
zona antibody
Antigamete antibody
Antisperm antibody
autoantibody
Follicular fluid
Microinjection
Unexpained infertility
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Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Volume 7, Issue 2
Summer 2006
Pages 101-110