mRNA technology helped restore fertility in men with infertility.
Japanese researchers have for the first time been able to restore sperm production in animals with genetic infertility using mRNA delivery technology to the testicular tissues. The work was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
A team from Osaka University injected lipid nanoparticles containing mRNA of the Pdha2 gene, which is necessary for normal spermatogenesis, into the testes of mice. Within three weeks, mature sperm appeared in the tissues, and using the ICSI method (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), healthy offspring were obtained. Genetic analysis confirmed that the intervention did not cause changes in DNA — the mRNA acted temporarily, without integrating into the genome.
Scientists believe that this method could become the basis for a new therapy for male infertility caused by disruptions in the genes responsible for sperm formation. According to the authors, in the future, such technology could also be used in humans — for example, to restore fertility in cases of non-obstructive azoospermia, one of the most challenging forms of male infertility.
