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New type of male contraceptive? Key gene essential for sperm development discovered

Date:
May 24, 2012
Source:
Public Library of Science
Summary:
A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development. The finding could lead to alternatives to the conventional male contraceptives that rely on disrupting the production of hormones, such as testosterone. These treatments can cause side effects such as irritability, mood swings and acne.
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A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development.

The finding could lead to alternatives to the conventional male contraceptives that rely on disrupting the production of hormones, such as testosterone. These treatments can cause side-effects such as irritability, mood swings and acne.

Research, led by the University of Edinburgh, has shown how a gene -- Katnal1 -- is critical to enable sperm to mature in the testes.

If scientists can regulate the Katnal1 gene in the testes, they could prevent sperm from maturing completely, making them ineffective without changing hormone levels.

The research, which is published in the journal PLoS Genetics, could also help in finding treatments for cases of male infertility when malfunction of the Katnal1 gene hampers sperm development.

Dr Lee Smith, Reader in Genetic Endocrinology at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Reproductive Health, said: "If we can find a way to target this gene in the testes, we could potentially develop a non-hormonal contraceptive.

"The important thing is that the effects of such a drug would be reversible because Katnal1 only affects sperm cells in the later stages of development, so it would not hinder the early stages of sperm production and the overall ability to produce sperm.

"Although other research is being carried out into non-hormonal male contraceptives, identification of a gene that controls sperm production in the way Katnal1 does is a unique and significant step forward in our understanding of testis biology."

Scientists found that male mice that were modified so they did not have the Katnal1 gene were infertile.

Further investigation showed that this was because the gene was needed to allow the sperm to develop and mature.

The researchers showed that Katnal1 was needed to regulate the scaffolding structures known as microtubules, which form part of the cells that support and provide nutrients to developing sperm.

Breaking down and rebuilding these microtubules enables the sperm cells to move within the testes as they mature. Katnal1 acts as the essential controller of this process.


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Journal Reference:

  1. Lee B. Smith, Laura Milne, Nancy Nelson, Sharon Eddie, Pamela Brown, Nina Atanassova, Moira K. O'Bryan, Liza O'Donnell, Danielle Rhodes, Sara Wells, Diane Napper, Patrick Nolan, Zuzanna Lalanne, Michael Cheeseman, Josephine Peters. KATNAL1 Regulation of Sertoli Cell Microtubule Dynamics Is Essential for Spermiogenesis and Male Fertility. PLoS Genetics, 2012; 8 (5): e1002697 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002697

Cite This Page:

Public Library of Science. "New type of male contraceptive? Key gene essential for sperm development discovered." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 May 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524215249.htm>.
Public Library of Science. (2012, May 24). New type of male contraceptive? Key gene essential for sperm development discovered. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524215249.htm
Public Library of Science. "New type of male contraceptive? Key gene essential for sperm development discovered." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524215249.htm (accessed March 19, 2024).

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