Monoclonal Sperm Antibodies: Their Potential for Investigation of Sperms as Target of Immunological Contraception

ABSTRACT: We generated 149 hybridoma cell lines secreting antibodies against human spermatozoal antigens of which antibodies from 136 hybridoma lines also reacted with seminal plasma constituents. The occurrence of common antigeneic determinants on spermatozoa and seminal plasma was further demonstrated by competitive inhibition ELISA tests. We found that seven hybridoma clones secreted antibodies reactive with spermatozoa but nonreactive with seminal plasma. Antibodies from 5 clones were sperm-agglutinating and from 15 clones sperm-immobilizing. Localization of sperm antigens reactive with the monoclonal antibodies was demonstrated by indirect immunoperoxidase staining. A synthetic decapeptide, earlier shown to be reactive with naturally occurring human iso- and autosperm antibodies, was shown to be reactive with the monoclonal antibody VII-5 in ELISA tests.