Prevalence of bovine sperm-bound antisperm antibodies and their association with semen quality

The objectives of this study were to determine reference intervals (RIs) for sperm-bound immunoglobulins G and A (IgG and IgA), prevalence of antisperm antibodies (ASAs) in satisfactory and nonsatisfactory breeders, and association between ASAs and semen quality in beef bulls. It was hypothesized that ASA binding differed with breeding soundness classification and semen quality. The percentage of IgG- (IgGperc) and IgA-bound (IgAperc) spermatozoa was evaluated in satisfactory (n = 134) and nonsatisfactory (n = 71) breeder beef bulls using flow cytometry. The RI for IgGperc was 0% to 13.5%. The RIs for IgAperc were 0% to 25.8% in yearling Aberdeen Angus bulls and 0% to 12% in all other bulls. The prevalence of IgA-positive samples was higher in nonsatisfactory (14.1%) than that in satisfactory (1.5%) breeders (P = 0.0003). However, the prevalence of IgG-positive samples did not differ. Similarly, IgA binding was higher in nonsatisfactory (median; interquartile range; 2.18; 0.77%-8.57%) than that in satisfactory breeders (median; interquartile range; 1.11; 0.32%-3.16%; P = 0.0035), but IgG binding did not differ. Among ASA-positive bulls, median IgA and IgG binding was 39.7% (range, 18.8%-96.2%) and 24.8% (range, 14.2%-33.1%), respectively. Immunoglobulin A binding correlated with the percentage of total (P < 0.0001; r2 = −0.345) and progressively motile spermatozoa (P < 0.0001; r2 = −0.329), morphologically normal spermatozoa (P = 0.0004; r2 = −0.256), sperm head abnormalities (P = 0.0416; r2 = 0.149), proximal droplets (P = 0.0227; r2 = 0.167), and coiled tails (P = 0.0338; r2 = 0.156). Immunoglobulin G binding correlated with the percentage of total (P < 0.0001; r2 = −0.373) and progressively motile spermatozoa (P < 0.0001; r2 = −0.455) and sperm concentration (P = 0.0332; r2 = −0.195). Reference intervals were established for determination of cutoffs for clinically significant sperm-bound IgA and IgG with flow cytometry. Immunoglobulin A binding was both higher and more prevalent in nonsatisfactory breeder bulls. Although IgG binding did not differ with breeding soundness classification, detection of surface-bound IgG and IgA was associated with changes in semen quality.