Figure 6.

Interaction with spermatozoa leads to the phenotypic maturation of DCs and the production of IL-10. (A) Representative histograms of the phenotype of immature DCs. Gray histograms represent isotype controls. (B) Spermatozoa (Sp; 1.5 × 10⁶/200 µl) were incubated for 24 h at 37°C with DCs at a spermatozoa/DC ratio of 10:1, and the phenotype of DCs was then analyzed by flow cytometry. The phenotype of DCs incubated alone or in the presence of spermatozoa or 100 ng/ml LPS during 24 h at 37°C is also shown. Results are expressed as MFI values and represent the arithmetic mean ± SEM of 11 experiments. Asterisks represent statistical significance (P < 0.05 vs. controls). (C and D) The production of IL-10 and IL-12p70 was evaluated in cell supernatants of DCs cultured alone or in the presence of spermatozoa or 100 ng/ml LPS during 24 h at 37°C. Results are expressed in picograms per milliliter and represent the arithmetic mean ± SEM of 10 experiments. Asterisks represent statistical significance (P < 0.05 vs. controls).