Effect of different procedures of semen preparation on antibody-coated spermatozoa and immunological infertility

To assess whether procedures of semen preparation can reduce the proportion of antibody-coated spermatozoa, semen samples with positive direct mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) were washed in media supplemented with 10% or 50% fetal cord serum (FCS). Washing reduced the MAR to a negative level, but the MAR was identical to that in the native semen when spermatozoa were resuspended in serum-free medium. Donor spermatozoa, recovered after swim-up in media supplemented with 10% or 50% FCS or after passage through a column with 7.5% human serum albumin (HSA), were incubated in serum samples with both agglutinating and cytotoxic antisperm antibodies. Cytotoxic activity was significantly reduced against sperm filtered over the albumin column.