Elucidation of transcription factor mechanism in testis and study of male infertility gene therapy

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20151
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Urology
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: sato yuichi 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助手 (00706848)
• Research Collaborator: Kojima Yoshiyuki ; Haga Nobuhiro ; Ogawa Soichiro ; Koguchi Tomoyuki ; Hoshi Seiji
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: アデノウイルスベクター法 / エレクトロポレーション法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We attempted to transfect testicular spermatozoa with plasmid DNA using liposome methods by direct injection into mouse testes and cultured Sertoli and　Leydig cells, unfortunately, however, we cannot confirm the expression of DNA in the Sertoli and Leydig cells. Although electroporation was a simple and convenient technique for gene transfer to germ cells in the testis, the gene expression was deemed transient and uncontrollable. Gene expression patterns by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to the testis were particularly interesting and important from the viewpoint of gene therapy for male infertility in the future. An adenovirus vector has a biological characteristic of not introducing genes into germ cells in the testis, but just Sertoli and Leydig cells. We performed the Ad4BP/SF-1 and DAX-1 gene transfer to the mouse testis. However, spermatogenesis was disturbed after gene transfer.

Free Research Field

生殖医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今日の不妊症に対する治療の中心は補助生殖医療である。方法はさまざまだが、その中で一般的に行われている方法は、精巣内の精子を採取して卵子に注入するTESE-ICSIである。本治療は一定の効果を得られるが、自然妊娠でないこと、男子不妊症の根本的治療となっていないのが問題である。我々は男子不妊症の治療として遺伝子治療の可能性を模索しており、まだまだ今のところ道のりは長いが、これが臨床応用されれば、学術的意義も社会的意義も高いと考えられる。