Male Fertility Restored With Missing Sperm Protein

Date: Sep-24-2012Male infertility can be the result of sperm missing just one vital protein, which is necessary to activate the egg when the sperm fuses with it. But
injecting that egg with the missing protein can "kick-start" the vital processes of embryo development, and dramatically increase the chances of
a successful pregnancy.

These are the findings of a new study by a team at Cardiff University in the UK who write about their work in a paper being published in the journal Fertility
and Sterility. They suggest the findings strengthen the case for the potential use of the protein in treating male infertility.

Professors Tony Lai and Karl Swann led the research team at the University's Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, where they discovered how
during the fertilization process, sperm transfers a vital protein called PLC-zeta (PLCz), to the egg. This protein activates the egg, in effect initiating the biological
processes of early embryo development.

They also found that a defective PLCz protein, which is linked to some forms of male infertility, doesn't fertilize the egg, and treating such unfertilized eggs
with an active form of the protein, restores egg activation.

Scientists believe that injecting the protein PLCz into eggs that have not fertilized due to male infertility could kick-start fertilization.
They prepared the active form of human sperm PLCz protein in the lab.

Lai says in a press statement, their study establishes that "this one sperm protein, PLCz, is absolutely critical at the point where life begins".

"We know that some men are infertile because their sperm fail to activate eggs. Even though their sperm fuses with the egg, nothing happens. These sperm may
lack a proper functioning version of PLCz, which is essential to trigger the next stage in becoming pregnant," he adds.

Lai explains that when they injected an unfertilized egg with the human PLCz they prepared in the lab, it responded "exactly as it should do at fertilization,
resulting in successful embryo development to the blastocyst stage, vital to pregnancy success".

The team points out that an important feature of their study is they used human sperm PLCz; previous studies showing such positive results had only been done
in mice.

There is however, still a way to go before the protein can be used in clinical treatments:

"Whilst this was a lab experiment and our method could not be used in a fertility clinic in exactly the same way - there is potential to translate this advance into
humans," says Lai.

He suggests it will be possible to make human PLCz protein and "use it to stimulate egg activation in a completely natural way". Lai also suggests it could
help couples having IVF treatments "ultimately improve their chances of having a baby and treat male infertility".

The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

Copyright: Medical News Today

Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.