Immunoglobulin E levels and antisperm antibody titers in infertile couples

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and antisperm antibody titers were determined in samples of serum and seminal plasma from 25 fertile men (Group A), 18 infertile men without measurable immunity to sperm (Group B), and 42 infertile men autoimmune to sperm (Group C), and in samples of serum and cervical and vaginal secretions from 25 fertile women (Group D), 28 infertile women without measurable immunity to sperm (Group E), and 32 infertile women isoimmune to sperm (Group F). Among the men, IgE levels in the serum, measured in international units per milliliter, were elevated in Group C (230 +/- 41, mean +/- SEM) as compared with Groups B (94 +/- 33, P less than 0.05) and A (55 +/- 8, P less than 0.001). In contrast, IgE levels in the seminal plasma in Group C (180 +/- 44) were not significantly different from those in Group B (48 +/- 21), but were higher than those in Group A (8 +/- 2, P less than 0.05). In the women, serum IgE levels were higher (P less than 0.001) in Group F, with isoimmunity to sperm (472 +/- 55), than in Groups E (219 +/- 32) and D (76 +/- 16). Wives of autoimmune husbands had somewhat, though not significantly, higher serum IgE levels (406 +/- 55), than had wives of nonautoimmune husbands (247 +/- 97). These results provide evidence for an elevated IgE response in subjects with significantly elevated antisperm antibody titers.