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Biomedical subjects

L Mettler

Publications and source records attributed to L Mettler.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

The incidence of anti-zona activity in post-menopausal women.

Forty sera from post-menopausal women were tested for the presence of anti-zona pellucida antibodies by an immunofluorescence method. Twenty sera showed positive fluorescence on the surface of cumulus-free porcine oocytes. In a control group of 22 female blood-donors of reproductive age, only three sera gave positive fluorescence. In all the above mentioned positive sera the anti-zona antibodies could be absorbed with porcine erythrocytes. This was, however, not the case when rabbit anti-porcine zona pellucida sera were used instead of the human sera. This would suggest that porcine erythrocytes and human zonae pellucidae share common antigenic determinants.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Human ovum recovery via operative laparoscopy and in vitro fertilization.

Between January 1979 and December 1980, 142 laparoscopies were performed on 114 patients with long-standing tubal factor infertility. Twenty-eight were performed during spontaneous menstrual cycles, 20 following continuous human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG) therapy, and 94 following intermittent hMG/hCG stimulation. Follicular ripeness was judged by multiple criteria, which were also used to time the laparoscopy. Operative procedures were performed in all cases and follicular puncture was attempted in all but 16 subjects, where adhesions prevented access to the ovaries. In 28 spontaneous cycles, 28 follicles were punctured and 17 ova recovered; whereas in the 98 patients where ovulation was stimulated, 217 follicles were punctured and 43 ova collected. Following in vitro fertilization with the husband's spermatozoa and embryo culture, pronucleus formation, 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, and 16-cell stages were observed in 18 oocytes obtained from 17 patients. Embryo transfer has, however, not yet been performed.

Clomiphene↗
PubMed1982

Comparison of fluid hysteroscopy and CO2 hysteroscopy.

A total of 247 women were subjected to liquid and CO2-hysteroscopy used as adjuncts in the screening of bleeding abnormalities in reproductive and post-menopausal groups. A point system of scoring proved quite useful. Using CO2-hysteroscopy the percentage of the detected malignancies corresponded to the percentages obtained by curettage in the age group of these patients. In liquid hysteroscopy, a group already suspicious for malignancy yielded a higher percentage of malignancies detected than normally expected. In post-menopausal women 41.7% of the cases examined wer malignant. The nine point scoring system used in liquid hysteroscopy correlated well with the histological findings. Both hysteroscopic techniques have their application and both are complementary, since they can be used for different indications in the visualization of the uterine cavity.

Carbon Dioxide↗
PubMed1982

Fertility inhibition using low-dose immunization with procine zonae pellucidae.

The antigenic potency of porcine zona pellucida has been studied in the rabbit using low-dose immunization (50, 100, 200, and 400 zonae per injection), and the subsequent level of anti-zona antibodies was determined. The antibody titers as determined by the indirect immunofluorescence test (IF) and the zona precipitation reaction (PR) were 1:640 and 1:80, respectively, after immunization with 100 zonae. There was no difference in antibody, titers between the immunization of 400 suspended zonae and 400 heat-treated zonae. Injection of homogenized porcine ovary also resulted in titers of 1:640 and 1:80 (IF and PR, respectively). Immunization, however, with only 50 isolated zonae did not produce a measurable antibody titer. Immunization with 1200 intact or heat-treated zonae resulted in transient infertility. The present study demonstrated that the limiting quantity of zonae required for detectable antibody production was between 1.65 micrograms and 3.30 micrograms zona protein as monitored by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation assays. To induce an antifertility effect, at least 40 micrograms of zona material was necessary.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Influence of spermatozoal antibodies in the reproduction of mice.

Under in vitro and in vivo conditions, the influence of spermatozoal antibodies on isolated gametes and early embryonic stages up to implantation and into postimplantation fetal development was tested. In the in vitro experiment, a clear-cut correlation between the amount of antisera added and the reduction of fertilization rates was observed. In the in vivo experiments, female mice were immunized with homologous washed sperms. A correlation between the amount of immunization and the reduction of fertilization rate occurred. In the sperm-immunized female group, the percentage of large blastocysts showed statistically significant reduction in correlation to the amount of immunization. Spermatozoal antibodies had an effect on isolated gametes, on fertilization, and on the early development of the embryo as well as on implantation. No influence of sperm antibodies either in low or high titer sperm antisera on developmental stages occurred. No spermatozoal antibody-induced abortions occurred. However, an influence of high titer antisera on implantation was evident. (Am J Reprod Immunol. 1982; 2:225-232.)

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Solubilization of four porcine zona pellucida antigens by lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate.

The lack of detailed studies of zona pellucida antigens up to the present time is partly due to the difficulty of the purification procedures involved. In the present work 4 porcine zona pellucida antigens were isolated using lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate as the solubilizing agent, and immuno-affinity chromatography, with immobilized IgG, for purification. This method is believed to be more specific than the previous techniques used. The four zona antigens. ZPI/1 (Mr = 42000), ZPII/1 (Mr = 67000), ZPII/2 Mr=32000), and ZPIII/1 (Mr = 17000), were identified. Based on the reaction of the antigens with antibodies induced by intact and heat-solubilized zonae, it is postulated that only ZPI/1 and ZPII/1 are expressed on the surfaces of intact zonae. The cross reaction between human and porcine zona pellucida antigens is attributed to ZPI/1.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Chemical synthesis of a decapeptide eliciting characteristics of a human spermatozoal antigen.

Antigenic spermatozoal polypeptides were purified by immunoaffinity chromatography, using immobilized immunoglobulin G from a sterile woman. One of these peptides showed Asp as N-terminal amino acid and had a sequence of Asp-Pro-Trp-Trp-Cys-Phe-Asp-Lys-Phe-Glu. Following synthesis, the synthetic peptide was tested in immunoinhibition test for its ability to react with anti-spermatozoal antibodies. In a solid-phase immunoassay significant inhibition of a rabbit anti-human spermatozoal antiserum was evident (Student 't' test p less than 0.05). The peptide also reacted with the naturally occurring agglutinating antispermatozoal antibodies in sera of sterile patients in 7 out of 9 cases (p less than 0.05). These results could open the way for the development of synthetic spermatozoal antigen preparations for an immunological regulation of fertility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

A one-hour radio-immuno-assay for lutropin.

For the rapid estimation of the mid-cycle lutropin peak, a commercially available four-hour lutropin radioimmunoassay kit was modified by shortening the incubation time, raising the incubation temperature and using more concentrated antisera. This RIA then required 60 min for completion. The results were compared to a commonly used 24-hour RIA from another commercial source. Calibration curves and lutropin profiles of the patients did not differ significantly. The shortened RIA is particularly suitable for a rapid and reliable estimation of the lutropin peak/ovulation time.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Generation of monoclonal antibodies against human spermatozoa and seminal plasma constituents.

Five mouse myeloma X splenocyte hybridoma cell lines synthesizing monoclonal antibody against human sperm were generated. Antibodies from three clones (VII 5, A-24 and B-20) exhibited high reactivity with sperm, as well as with seminal plasma in enzyme-lined immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) tests, and two clones (VI 1 and VI 16) showed high reactivity only with sperm. Seminal plasma competitively inhibited binding of the monoclonal antibodies (VII 4, A-24 and B-20) to sperm in ELISA. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that the three monoclonal antibody types (VII 5, A-24 and B-20) stained only 5-30% of the sperm strongly, and the rest weakly. Monoclonal antibody types VI 1 and VI 16 showed weak staining of nearly all sperm. None of these monoclonal antibodies possessed sperm-agglutinating or sperm-immobilizing activity. As determined by ELISA the class and subclass specificity of the monoclonal antibodies was: A-24, IgG1 (kappa); B-20, IgG1 (kappa); VI 1, IgG3 (kappa); VI 16, IgG1 (kappa); and VII 5, IgG1 (kappa).

Animals↗
PubMed1981

[First results of in vitro fertilization in the human (author's transl)].

In vitro fertilization was studied in human egg cells obtained by laparoscopy. In 1979 our studies included 65 women with long term infertility and proven tubal factor infertility. The primary diagnostic laparoscopy established disease of uterus, tubes and ovaries and was used to correct pathology. Lysis of adhesions was used to make aspiration of a spontaneous mature follicle for in vitro fertilization easier. The aspiration laparoscopy was performed after stimulation with HMG and HPG. Our prerequisite was the presence of at least one ovary with ovulatory cycles. In almost all cases the ovaries wer accessible only following lysis of ovarian and tubal adhesions. Aspiration of the follicle was successful in 55 of the patients stimulated with HMG/HCG. In 10 cases no follicle for aspiration was available. In 21 cases one egg cell was found. In 11 cases more than one egg cell was found. The maximum was 8 egg cells in one patient. In 34 patients only cumulus cells were aspirated following stimulation. Under the in vitro fertilization conditions described in this paper it was possible to obtain twice a pro-nucleus formation, twice the two cell and twice the four cell stage following conjugation with sperm of the partner. Of the 47 patients with a tubal occlusion, 30 were isthmic or utero-isthmic and 17 tubal occlusions were peripheral. In 15 patients chromo-tubation showed recanalization.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1981

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.

Humans↗
PubMed1981

Purification of a human spermatozoal antigen.

The lack of a more detailed study of spermatozoal antigens lies partly in the difficulty of adequate purification procedures. In the present work a spermatozoal cell membrane antigen was isolated using lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate as the solubilizing agent. Its apparent molecular weight is 40 500 by gel filtration chromatography and 35 000 by dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Labelling of the antigen with 125I and subsequent radio-immunoprecipitation enabled the evaluation of specific binding to IgG and IgM molecules in sperm-agglutinating and sperm-immobilizing antisera. Adsorption experiments with the purified antigen resulted in significant titer reductions of the same antisera in the microsperm-agglutination and microsperm-immobilization tests. This indicates the presence of an antigen molecule on the human spermatozoa that reacts with IgG and IgM antibodies and with both types of antisera.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1980

Technical progress in pelvic surgery via operative laparoscopy.

The development of an optimal set of instruments for perfect grasping, cutting, sucking, and ligating and of a new system to perform hemostasis by endocoaguation through a trocar sheath 7 to 11 mm in diameter permits effective laparoscopic surgery. A total of 2,000 operative laparoscopies were performed safely between 1973 and 1976. Since 1977, laparoscopic surgery has been extended to the following procedures: myomectomy (subserous), adnexectomy, ovarian cyst resection, removal of a cystoma, and tubectomy in cases of tubal pregnancy. In 82 such cases, no intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. The normal postsurgical healing procedure has been checked during 18 second-look laparoscopies and two consecutive laparotomies. These technical advances have opened up a new era of gynecologic surgery based on operative laparoscopy.

Female↗
PubMed1980

The occurrence of sperm antibodies in human reproduction. I. Comparative new and improved test methods for sperm antibody detection.

The four essential methods for sperm antibody detection are considered and evaluated. The micro-sperm-agglutination and micro-sperm-immobilization tests have been improved and optimized. Quantitative estimation of sperm antibodies was made by an immunoelectrophoresis technique after separation of antibodies from the sera and genital tract secretions by affinity chromatography. Antibodies were typed by line-rocket immunoelectrophoresis. The pathologic errors of the modified tests were found to be small and the biologic errors were tolerable. Satisfactory results were achieved for sperm antibodies belonging to IgA and IgM, but not for other immunoglobulins.

Antibodies↗