This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Amato, F. Articles by Norman, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Amato, F. Articles by Norman, R. J. Pubmed/NCBI databases OMIM Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN PROGESTERONE

Infertility Caused by hCG Autoantibody

Reproductive Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia 5011, Australia

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Mr. Fred Amato, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (DX465216), Woodville Road, Woodville, South Australia 5011, Australia.

Abstract

An anti-hCG autoantibody was found in a patient with a 9-yr history of secondary infertility. Although the patient had regular menstrual cycles, had conceived spontaneously, and had good hormonal and follicular responses to gonadotropic stimulation regimens during the in vitro fertilization work-up, she presented with apparent recurrent pregnancy loss associated with prolonged raised hCG levels. Initially the presence of a high mol wt hCG complex was demonstrated in the serum by gel chromatography. The binding of [¹²⁵I]recombinant hCG to a serum sample and subsequently to the affinity-purified IgG from the same sample revealed the presence of an hCG antibody. The antiserum was shown to be specific, with a low affinity (K_a, 1.4 x 10⁶ liters/mol), but a high capacity (418 nmol/liter), for hCG. Cross-reaction with recombinant human FSH, recombinant human LH, hCG, and hCGß were low (<0.019%, 0.021%, 0.039%, and 0.006%, respectively). In addition, heat-inactivated serum and the affinity-purified IgG were shown to inhibit the action of hCG in an in vitro bioassay. We suggest that the persisting titer of the antibody to be responsible for the patient’s infertility.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Wan, M. A. Versnel, L. M. E. Leijten, C. G. van Helden-Meeuwsen, D. Fekkes, P. J. M. Leenen, N. A. Khan, R. Benner, and R. C. M. Kiekens Chorionic gonadotropin induces dendritic cells to express a tolerogenic phenotype J. Leukoc. Biol., April 1, 2008; 83(4): 894 - 901. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]