Effect of Human Seminal Plasma on Cytokine Prodection and Induction of Active Systemic Anaphylaxis in Mice

Ha, Tai You; Park, Jae Seung; Ko, Yoo Seung; Lee, Yong Ho; Park, Young Kyung

Abstract

Human seminal plasrna (HSP) is mixture of secretion derived from various glands associated with male reproductive tract which comprises approximately 80-90% of the volume of normal ejaculate. The present study was undertaken in an effort to explore the effect of HSP pretreatment on the production of IL-1B, TNF-a and IL-12, in mice, and to investigate if HSP may cause to induce active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) in mice. In addition, effects of HSP pretreatment on contact hypersensitivity to trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB), antibody response to polyvinylpyrroridone (PVP), a thymus-independent antigen and on ASA induced by egg albumin (OVA) were also studied in this study. For the experiments of contact hypersensitivity, antibody response and cytokine production, mice were pretreated i.p. daily with 0.3ml of HSP or sterile saline alone (control) for 3 consecutive days before antigen sensitization or lipopolysaccharide injection for the cytokine induction. For the experiments of OVA- induced anaphylaxis, mice were pretreated by a single s.c. injection of HSP 0.3ml per mouse before sensitization. For induction of ASA in mice by HSP, a group of mice were sensitized i.p. 2 consecutive days with 0.3ml of HSP and one day with 0.3 ml of HSP plus 2x10(9) B. pertussis and 1.0 mg of alum (schedule A) or another group of mice were sensitized i.p. with a single i.p. injection of 0.3 ml of HSP with 2x10' B. pertussis and 1.0 mg of alum (schedule B). All sensitized and unsensitized control mice were challenged i.v. with 0.2ml of HSP 14 days after HSP sensitization, and mortality were observed. It was found that HSP pretreatment inhibited the production of IL-lB, TNF-a and IL-12, and also inhibited OVA-induced ASA, contact hypersensitivity to TNCB and anti-PVP antibody production. Interestingly, ASA was induced by HSP irrespective of the applied sensitization schedule. Taken together, this study may provide the direct evidences that HSP may inhibit the production of IL-1B, TNF-a and IL-12 and this may be the first to show the induction of ASA by HSP in mice.