Sperm specific antigen(s) in detergent extract of rhesus monkey spermatozoa

Sperm surface antigens were prepared by detergent extraction (Hyamine-Triton, Rohm and Haas Co., Philadelphia, PA) of spermatozoa from rhesus monkeys. Heterologous antisera against the extracts were produced in female New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits by hyperimmunization. The antiserum was absorbed initially with sperm-free monkey seminal plasma and then with lyophilized tissue homogenates of liver, kidney, spleen, and pancreas from male rhesus monkeys. The unabsorbed antiserum produced at least three precipitin lines against detergent extract in double immunodiffusion tests and possessed sperm immobilization and sperm agglutination antibody activity. The absorbed antiserum showed one precipitin line against the detergent extract and retained sperm agglutination antibody activity only. The sperm agglutination antibody in the absorbed antiserum was completely removed by either epididymal or washed ejaculated rhesus monkey spermatozoa. The same results were obtained with ammonium-sulfate-precipitated immunoglobulin preparations. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed only one precipitation line with the absorbed immunoglobulin preparation. It is concluded that Hyamine-Triton extract of rhesus monkey spermatozoa contains a component which can be characterized as sperm-specific by immunoabsorption techniques and is apparently associated with sperm agglutination but not with immobilization.