Abhijeet Dey
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Kounteya Sinha,The Times of India, 3 Dec 2013
LINK: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Male-contraceptive-pill-may-be-available-in-10-years/articleshow/26800185.cms
LONDON: Scientists have taken a giant leap towards creating the world's first oral contraceptive pill for men.
Currently, men can only use condom or undergo a surgical vasectomy as the proven form of contraception.
Scientists now say that a male contraceptive could be on the horizon - within 10 years after they identified a novel way to block the transport of sperm during ejaculation. Researchers from University of Melbourne and the University of Leicester, UK, collaborated on the study.
Publishing their results on Tuesday, scientists have found that complete male infertility could be achieved by blocking two proteins found on the smooth muscle cells that trigger the transport of sperm.
The researchers demonstrated that the absence of two proteins in mouse models, 1A-adrenoceptor and P2X1-purinoceptor, which mediate sperm transport, caused infertility, without effects on long-term sexual behaviour or function.
Lead researchers Dr Sab Ventura and Dr Carl White of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences believe the knowledge could be applied to the potential development of a contraceptive pill for men.
"Previous strategies have focused on hormonal targets or mechanisms that produce dysfunctional sperm incapable of fertilization, but they often interfere with male sexual activity and cause long term irreversible effects on fertility," Dr Ventura said.
"We've shown that simultaneously disrupting the two proteins that control the transport of sperm during ejaculation causes complete male infertility, but without affecting the long-term viability of sperm or the sexual or general health of males. The sperm is effectively there but the muscle is just not receiving the chemical message to move it.
Dr Ventura said there was already a drug that targets one of the two proteins, but they would have to find a chemical and develop a drug to block the second one.
"This suggests a therapeutic target for male contraception. The next step is to look at developing an oral male contraceptive drug, which is effective, safe, and readily reversible."
LINK: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Male-contraceptive-pill-may-be-available-in-10-years/articleshow/26800185.cms
LONDON: Scientists have taken a giant leap towards creating the world's first oral contraceptive pill for men.
Currently, men can only use condom or undergo a surgical vasectomy as the proven form of contraception.
Scientists now say that a male contraceptive could be on the horizon - within 10 years after they identified a novel way to block the transport of sperm during ejaculation. Researchers from University of Melbourne and the University of Leicester, UK, collaborated on the study.
Publishing their results on Tuesday, scientists have found that complete male infertility could be achieved by blocking two proteins found on the smooth muscle cells that trigger the transport of sperm.
The researchers demonstrated that the absence of two proteins in mouse models, 1A-adrenoceptor and P2X1-purinoceptor, which mediate sperm transport, caused infertility, without effects on long-term sexual behaviour or function.
Lead researchers Dr Sab Ventura and Dr Carl White of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences believe the knowledge could be applied to the potential development of a contraceptive pill for men.
"Previous strategies have focused on hormonal targets or mechanisms that produce dysfunctional sperm incapable of fertilization, but they often interfere with male sexual activity and cause long term irreversible effects on fertility," Dr Ventura said.
"We've shown that simultaneously disrupting the two proteins that control the transport of sperm during ejaculation causes complete male infertility, but without affecting the long-term viability of sperm or the sexual or general health of males. The sperm is effectively there but the muscle is just not receiving the chemical message to move it.
Dr Ventura said there was already a drug that targets one of the two proteins, but they would have to find a chemical and develop a drug to block the second one.
"This suggests a therapeutic target for male contraception. The next step is to look at developing an oral male contraceptive drug, which is effective, safe, and readily reversible."
