Proteomic Analysis of Antiprotease Immunoglobulin-E Anti-Sperm Autoantibodies in Chronic Urticaria After Vasectomy

Some types of chronic urticaria (CU) are associated with autoreactive immunoglobulin (Ig)E, as well as IgG. In the syndrome of autoimmune thyroid disease and CU, autoreactive IgE, as well as IgG against host thyroid tissue, is present. The author describes a patient with new onset of CU after vasectomy with evidence of both autoreactive IgE and IgG anti-sperm antibodies (ASA). Autoreactive sperm proteins are enzymes opposed to structural sperm antigens producing ASA in infertility and after anti-spermatocyte vaccines. The author suggests that autoreactive proteins with enzymatic activity either in host proteins, aeroallergens, or viral proteins may have increased propensity to generate autoreactive IgE. This model of autoimmune IgE ASA generation by sperm and other host enzymatic proteins in CU can be tested using proteomic technology. INTRODUCTION