This blog series highlights pertinent publications that were featured in MCI's monthly newsletter editions in the second quarter of 2023. The purpose of this blog is to report interesting or relevant work from MCI Fellows, Grantees, staff members, and other community authors in the field of male contraception. This paper reviews a survey conducted among men of reproductive age and analyzed results with a bivariate analysis to inform a multivariable logistic regression and isolate the independent influence of increasingly gender-equitable attitudes on cis-men's willingness to use novel male contraceptives. This publication shares results from a survey which indicates that men who express gender-equitable attitudes may be more willing to use novel male contraceptive methods. As progress advances in gender equity, gender-equitable attitudes among the public have become more commonplace, and public opinion on issues pertaining to gender may have changed dramatically in recent years. Younger generations of men are not only more willing to consider participating in family planning, but are willing to be the active participant in taking contraception. MCI Fellow Candice Yap and MCI Grantee Zhibing Zhang identify DNALI1 as a protein that is essential for the development of sperm cells and for assembly of the MEIG1/PACRG complex in this paper. DNALI1 plays a critical role in the formation of the manchette and the proper differentiation of sperm cells. Researchers came to this finding through studying mice that lacked DNALI1 and found a significant reduction in the number of sperm cells, leading to male infertility. Furthermore, the sperm cells that were present showed abnormal shapes and structures. This publication is supported by MCI and adds to the knowledge base around a validated male contraceptive target. The availability of modern contraception has improved family planning, but there are still product gaps and unmet needs that result in about half of global pregnancies being unintended. This review discusses the history of contraception, and dives into the approaches that have failed and succeeded in promising approaches for male and female contraception. This review seeks to help others understand more about the future of contraception in order to increase contraceptive methods available to individuals, therefore reducing unintended pregnancies, empowering individuals to participate in family planning, promoting healthy families, and moderating population growth. This study from the Levin / Buck Lab and MCI Fellow Carla Ritagliati is supported by MCI and characterizes the phenotype of sperm missing the contraceptive target soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC). It demonstrates that male mice missing the sAC gene are infertile because their sperm do not migrate to the fertilization site, as disruption of this gene impairs the motility and sperm, therefore preventing capacitation. The researchers studied phenotypes of ejaculated sAC null sperm in vivo post-coitally as well as ex vivo, collected from the female reproductive tract and found similar behavior to epididymal sAC null sperm, suggesting there may be other factors in the female reproductive tract that regulat acrosome responsiveness. Disrupting the sAC gene leads to male infertility due to impaired sperm motility, capacitation, and migration to the site of fertilization, furthering our understanding of a contraceptive target in active development. The development of a safe, effective, reversible male contraceptive would improve contraceptive options and may decrease rates of unintended pregnancy. This manuscript outlines the study design and analysis plan for an ongoing large international trial of a novel transdermal hormone gel for male contraception, which is a convenient method for users of contraception. The primary goal of this study was to determine the pregnancy rate among these couples during the 52-week efficacy phase. Secondary goals include assessing the suppression of sperm production in male participants, monitoring side effects, measuring hormone levels in both male and female participants, evaluating sexual function, and assessing the acceptability of the regimen. Successful completion of this and future studies of this formulation may lead to regulatory approval, setting the stage for future non-hormonal methods of male contraception. Are there any interesting publications about non-hormonal, reversible male contraception that you'd like to see featured? Please reach out to us and share your thoughts!
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
September 2024
|