The occurrence of immunoglobulin E in Human seminal plasma

The presence of IgE in human seminal plasma has been explored using two different radioimmunoassay methods. Samples were obtained from 84 patients under investigation for involuntary infertility. Low levels were recorded in seminal plasma (less than 0.05-805 kIU/1) together with a wide scatter of serum values (less than 0.5-956 kIU/1). The incidence of detectable seminal plasma IgE was related to high serum IgE values (P less than 0.001; chi 2-test). Among men reporting allergy problems and who has serum IgE levels above 50 kIU/1 detectable semen IgE was seen in 15 out of 18 patients. Sperm agglutination was observed in 18 men of whom 11 had detectable seminal plasma IgE. The question of whether or not seminal plasma IgE is a plasma transudate or is locally produced as well as its possible function in seminal plasma is discussed.