Detection of human spermatozoal peptides after conjugation to 125I-labelled human serum albumin.
Human spermatozoal peptides, liberated during autolysis of the cells, were fractionated by gel-filtration chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. After conjugation to 125I-labelled human serum albumin, all fractions were assayed with rabbit antihuman spermatozoa antiserum. The reactions indicated the presence of a number of antigenic peptides in the spermatozoal autolysate and one of the fractions revealed a significantly higher antibody binding capacity than all other fractions assayed (P less than 0.05). Release of immunogenic peptides during autolysis of the spermatozoal membrane could be important in the aetiology of spermatozoal iso- and autoantibodies.