Scientists Discover Sperm Protein Necessary for Conception in Mice; Finding Could Lead to Fertility Treatments

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 13 Mar 2005 - 16:00 PDT

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Japanese scientists recently discovered a mouse sperm protein, which also is present in human sperm, that is necessary for fertilization, a finding that could lead to new fertility treatments, according to a letter published by the scientists in the March 10 issue of the journal... Nature, BBC News reports. The scientists -- led by Masaru Okabe, director of the Genome Information Research Center at Osaka University in Japan -- bred genetically engineered mice lacking an immunoglobulin protein, which the scientists nicknamed Izumo, that is normally present in sperm. Although the mice were healthy and continued to produce sperm, they were unable to impregnate female mice (BBC News, 3/9). Although other scientists recently discovered an egg protein necessary to allow fertilization, called C9, the discovery of Izumo is the first equivalent to be found in sperm, the AFP/Yahoo! News reports. The finding "promises benefits in the clinical treatment of fertility and the potential development of new contraceptive strategies," the research team writes (AFP/Yahoo! News, 3/9).

Accompanying Editorial
Richard Schultz and Carmen Williams of the Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health at the University of Pennsylvania in an accompanying Nature editorial say the researchers' discovery is "compelling," Reuters reports. "These findings raise the exciting possibility that, because Izumo is sperm-specific and extracellular, this protein and its interacting partners could be new targets for nonhormonal contraception," they write (Reuters, 3/9).

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