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Several vascular complement inhibitors are present on human sperm

S E Bozas1, L Kirszbaum, R L Sparrow

  • 1Department of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Biology of Reproduction
|March 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Human sperm possess complement inhibitors like decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59, protecting them from lysis. The absence of complement components in semen suggests this protection is crucial in the female reproductive tract.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Reproductive Biology

Background:

  • Previous research identified SP-40,40, a complement inhibitor, in human seminal plasma.
  • A hypothesis suggested other vascular complement system inhibitors might be present in semen to protect sperm.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of major complement regulatory proteins on human sperm.
  • To assess the functional significance of these inhibitors by examining complement components in seminal plasma.

Main Methods:

  • Human seminal plasma and spermatozoa were analyzed for complement regulatory proteins.
  • Detection of decay-accelerating factor (DAF), CD59, Membrane Cofactor Protein (MCP), and SP-40,40 on sperm.
  • Quantification of complement components C3 and C9 in seminal plasma using Western transfer.

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Main Results:

  • Human sperm were found to possess DAF, CD59, MCP, and SP-40,40.
  • Complement components C9 and C3 were undetectable or present at very low levels (<5% and <0.3% of blood plasma levels, respectively) in seminal plasma.

Conclusions:

  • Human sperm are equipped with a comprehensive set of complement inhibitors.
  • The low levels of complement components in seminal plasma suggest sperm inhibitors primarily protect against complement-mediated damage in the female genital tract, not the male tract.