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Human testis vitamin D binding protein involved in infertility
1Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, New York 10021.
Archives of Andrology
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Antisperm antibodies in infertile women target a unique 60-kD testicular protein, related to vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), potentially causing infertility. This finding offers new insights into male infertility mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Protein Chemistry
Background:
- Antisperm antibodies are implicated in unexplained infertility.
- The specific antigens targeted by these antibodies are often unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the testicular antigen targeted by antisperm antibodies from an infertile woman.
- To investigate the relationship between this antigen and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP).
Main Methods:
- Purification of a 60-kD testicular protein using isoelectric focusing, affinity chromatography, and preparative electrophoresis.
- N-terminal amino acid sequencing and SDS-PAGE analysis.
- Generation of polyclonal antibodies and immunofluorescence studies on human sperm.
Main Results:
- A 60-kD protein from human testes was purified and characterized.
- The N-terminus showed identity to human serum VDBP, but the 60-kD protein is not identical to VDBP.
- Antibodies against the 60-kD protein and commercial anti-VDBP antibodies immobilized human sperm.
Conclusions:
- The 60-kD testicular protein is antigenically distinct from serum VDBP, possessing unique structural features.
- Antibodies targeting these unique structures on the 60-kD protein may be a cause of infertility in affected women.