Cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal antigens in women

In 13 healthy women and 6 virgins the cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal plasma antigens was demonstrated by an indirect lymphokin assay, the leucocyte migration inhibition test (LMI-test) using the following preparations: "washed" spermatozoa, seminal plasma and spermatozoa of the supernatant prepared with the "swim-up" technique. In both groups of women a cellular sensitization against sperm and seminal plasma antigens could be observed. Further, a dose dependent correlation was found in that way, that increasing concentrations of spermatozoa lead to an increased inhibition of macrophage migration. In virgins cellular sensitization against seminal plasma proteins did not differ from non-virgins, only the percentage of significant reactions in the LMI-Test was reduced. As low sperm concentrations (1 million ml-1), which represent best the physiological situation in the uterus, induced an enhanced migrations of macrophages the enhancement of macrophage migration is considered as physiological cellular sensitization of females against sperm-associated antigens.