Immunologic studies of a patient with seminal plasma allergy

doi:10.1016/0090-1229(75)90040-9

Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology

Volume 4, Issue 1, May 1975, Pages 59-66

Clinical Immunology ...

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Abstract

Immunological studies of a patient with allergic reaction to seminal plasma are described. The reaction is IgE mediated. The antigen eliciting the reaction is present in all the seminal plasmas tested. It is a protein with a molecular weight of 20,000–30,000 daltons. The antigenic activity is not destroyed by enzymes which degrade carbohydrate groups but is destroyed by proteolytic digestion. The antigen is heat stable and probably prostatic in origin. Leukocytes from this patient release histamine on challenge with the seminal plasma antigen. This release is markedly enhanced by the presence of serum.

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Cited by (12)

Prostate-specific antigen as allergen in human seminal plasma allergy [2]
2006, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Allergy to human seminal fluid: Characterization of the allergen and experience with immunotherapy
1990, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
A 20-year-old woman was observed with a history of a severe generalized systemic reaction after topical contact with seminal fluid. A prick test with undiluted seminal fluid produced a 5.0 mm wheal-and-flare response with pseudopods. Prick tests with saliva and serum from the same source as the seminal fluid were negative. Measurement of IgE antibody to seminal-fluid allergen with a Biotin-Avidin ELISA technique yielded strong activity. No IgG antibody could be detected. Significant prick test reactivity could be found in Sephadex G-100 fractions that had a molecular weight range of 12,000 to 75,000 daltons and that contained approximately 5% of the total protein in the starting material. Isoelectric focusing fractions with strong skin test reactivity had a pI range of 5.4 to 6.6. These fractions contained one major protein band. Immunotherapy was conducted with a Sephadex fraction of seminal fluid during a 24-month period. A cumulative dose of 32 mg of protein was administered. No side effects other than local swelling occurred. Ten months after the start of immunotherapy, IgE antibody became unmeasureable, an effect that was demonstrated not due to the inhibitory effect of IgG antibody. IgG antibody rose progressively in this period. Clinically, the patient became less sensitive to topical contact. Although the natural history of seminal-fluid allergy is not known, immunotherapy may be effective.
In vitro studies of human seminal plasma allergy
1980, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
A 23-yr-old woman experienced generalized urticaria, angioedema, and respiratory obstruction after intercourse. Reactions increased in frequency and severity over a 2-yr period; sexual exposures were limited to her husband. Fresh, centrifuged seminal plasma samples from four donors, including her husband, evoked positive immediate puncture skin-test reactions in dilutions of 1:100 or 1:1,000; no reactions were seen in normal control males. A borderline elevation in serum IgE antibodies to seminal plasma was noted by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). However, the patient had elevated IgE antibodies to a partially purified seminal plasma fraction (IV) obtained by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Seminal plasma from all four donors showed similar allergenic activity when tested in fraction IV RAST inhibition experiments. Further in vitro studies have characterized the allergenic components infraction IV. Allergenic components (pool III) (1) are distinct from acid phosphatase; (2) have an apparent molecular weight range from 20,000 to 30,000 daltons; (3) by isoelectrofocusing produced multiple bands with pi of 6.6, 7.0, and 7.5; and (4) produced multiple bands in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicating a heterogeneous group of antigens. Comparison of pool III with seminal vesicle secretions and prostatic homogenate via thin-layer isoelectrofocusing revealed protein bands which appeared to be common to all three materials. Thus, it remains uncertain as to whether allergenic proteins are derived from seminal vesicle or prostatic secretions. Condom usage by the patient's husband has essentially prevented subsequent allergic reactions. However, serum IgE antibodies to fraction IV remained consistently elevated during a 28-mo follow-up period.
Immunoglobulin E-mediated severe allergy to human seminal plasma
1977, Fertility and Sterility
Two women with allergy to human seminal plasma are described. Both patients had generalized and local allergic symptoms, i.e., hypotension, asthmatic dyspnea, urticaria, and vaginal swelling, beginning within a few minutes of intercourse. The antigen causing the reaction in these patients was common to all seminal plasmas examined. Most of the antigenic activity was shown to be present in one protein band detected by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The seminal plasma reaction was mediated through an immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody. Passive transfer of the hypersensitivity with the serum of both patients was successful, and the radioallergosorbent test showed that the serum of the first patient contained IgE specific to seminal plasma.
Automated histamine analysis for in vitro allergy testing. I. A method utilizing allergen-induced histamine release from whole blood
1976, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
A sensitive, automated, histamine assay system has been developed and applied for in vitro allergy testing. Nine common pollen and environmental allergens were used at three log dilutions for in vitro studies utilizing small volumes of blood (15–20 ml). The clinical evaluation was correlated with the results of the histamine release. Two different procedures were utilized. The first is the commonly used histamine release from washed leukocytes. There was excellent correlation between the clinical evaluation and the results of histamine release from washed leukocytes in 17 different individuals. The second and simpler method utilised whole heparinized blood which might better reflect the immunologic reaction which occurs in vivo. Aliquots of blood and allergen were incubated for 1 hr at 37 ° C and each supernatant was then analyzed for histamine release. There was excellent correlation between the two tests in 29 patients tested by both the whole blood and washed leukocyte methods. There was also good correlation between the clinical evaluation of the patients and the in vitro tests. The precision, accuracy, and sensitivity of the automated histamine assay make feasible its routine application in the clinical study of allergic patients.
Human seminal plasma allergy: Myth or reality?
2013, Revista Chilena de Obstetricia y Ginecologia

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²: Present address: Clinical Immunology Section, Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, NIDR, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20014.

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Immunologic studies of a patient with seminal plasma allergy

Abstract

Anal. Biochem.

Immunology

N. Engl. J. Med.

N. Engl. J. Med.