Studies of immunosuppressive substances in human seminal plasma

男子不妊症23例についてその精液が自己のTリンパ球に対する作用をEロゼット形成を利用して検討した.1)精液を稀釈するにつれて, Eロゼットの形成率は増加した.2) Opioidsの拮抗剤であるnaloxoneの投与によりEロゼットの形成率は回復する傾向を示したが, 有意差は認められなかった.3)無精子症群や乏精子症群のEロゼットの形成率は精子濃度が20×106/ml以上の群のEロゼットの形成率より有意に低い価を示したEndogenous opioids, which have been shown to exhibit pharmacological and physiological activity on the immune system, have recently been reported to inhibit rosette formation between human T lymphocytes and sheep red blood cells. Because those opioids were found at a higher concentration in seminal plasma than in plasma, we studied whether seminal plasma could influence E rosette formation in 23 patients who complained of infertility. Seminal plasma significantly inhibited E rosette formation. With the dilution of seminal plasma, the percentage of E rosette formation increased. The incubation mixture of naloxone prevented the inhibition of E rosette formation produced by seminal plasma. The percentage of E rosette formation was significantly inhibited in azoospermia and oligozoospermia than in normozoospermia. In conclusion, these results suggest that opioids exert a suppressive effect on E rosette formation and may play a role in human spermatogenesis