Autoimmune disease occurs when the body produces an inappropriate immune response against its own tissues producing
antibodies, called
autoantibodies, reacting to specific
antigens. Studies regarding the presence of an autoimmune process specifically involving
gonadotropins date from over than 20 years ago, when
antibodies to gonadotropic-secreting cells were found by immunofluorescence in sera from a group of patients affected by
cryptorchidism. Later on,
antibodies detected by the same technique, and directed to the same cells were also found at high titer in sera from patients affected by
hypogonadotropic hypogonadism,
Kallmann's syndrome,
lymphocytic hypophysitis with isolated
gonadotropin deficiency, as well as autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome. Concerning the autoimmune target/s within the gonadotropic cells, rarely
autoantibodies were found labeling
gonadotropins while in a large number of cases, auto-
antigens remained to be identified. Since
pituitary gonadotropins are fundamental for the sexual maturity and reproductive mechanisms, patients with
infertility were largely investigated by
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay for the presence of circulating
antibodies likely interfering with
gonadotropin activity. In infertile women,
autoantibodies to
gonadotropins were found related to ovarian autoimmunity, ovarian disorders that cause
infertility and also associated with in vitro fertilization treatments. In infertile men,
autoantibodies to
gonadotropins may alter the testicular spermatogenesis and cause apoptosis of the spermatogenic cells. In conclusion, circulating
antibodies were found labeling gonadotropic cells and/or
gonadotropins, and in both cases they could create dysfunctions in
gonadotropin related mechanism. The intriguing question of what can cause the production of such
autoantibodies is not clear yet.