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Women may soon be free with having to remember to take birth control following a introduction of the new male contraceptive reported in the journal Proceedings from the National Academy of Science.
Scientists found that complete male infertility might be achieved by blocking two proteins found on the smooth muscle cells that trigger the transport of sperm. They demonstrated that the lack of two proteins in mouse models caused infertility without long-term effects on sexual behavior or function. The team believes the knowledge could be put on the development of a contraceptive pill for males.
“Previous strategies have centered on hormonal targets or mechanisms that produce dysfunctional sperm incapable of fertilization, but they often interfere with male intercourse and cause long term irreversible effects on fertility,” said?Dr Sab Ventura from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
He said they was able to show how simultaneously disrupting the 2 proteins, 1A-adrenoceptor and P2X1-purinoceptor, could control the transport of sperm during ejaculation, causing complete male infertility without having affected long-term viability of sperm or the sexual or overall health of males.
“The sperm is effectively there but the muscle is just not finding the chemical message to maneuver it,” Ventura explained.
He added there was already a drug that targets one of the two proteins, however they would have to look for a chemical and create a drug to bar the 2nd one.
“This suggests a therapeutic target for male contraception. The next step is to check out developing a dental male contraceptive drug, that is effective, safe, and readily reversible,” Ventura said.
If the next thing within the scientific studies are successful, then they believe men contraceptive pill might be available within 10 years.
Ventura and colleagues are not the only scientists trying to open the door up for male contraceptives. This past year, researchers reported that a small molecule called JQI could produce infertility with no decrease of sex drive. This team also believes these molecules might be packaged in pill form, allowing JQI to move with the blood-testis barrier without major obstacles.
“These findings suggest that a reversible, oral male contraceptive may be possible,” Dr. James E. Bradner, a researcher in the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of medicine, said in a statement during the time of the research. “While we will be conducting more research to ascertain if we are able to develop our current findings, JQ1 shows initial promise like a lead compound for male contraception.”
