title: Adenovirus-mediated gene delivery and in vitro microinsemination produce offspring from infertile male mice.
abstract: Sertoli cells play a pivotal role in spermatogenesis through their interactions with germ cells. To set up a strategy for treating male infertility caused by Sertoli cell dysfunction, we developed a Sertoli cell gene transfer system by using an adenovirus vector, which maintained long-term transgene expression in the testes of infertile mice. Introduction of an adenovirus carrying the mouse Steel (Sl) gene into Sertoli cells restored partial spermatogenesis in infertile Steel/Steel(dickie) (Sl/Sl(d)) mutant mouse testes. Although these males remained infertile, round spermatids and spermatozoa from the testes produced normal fertile offspring after intracytoplasmic injection into oocytes. None of the offspring showed evidence of germ line transmission of adenoviral DNA. Thus, we demonstrate a successful treatment for infertility by using a gene therapy vector. Therefore, adenovirus-mediated gene delivery into Sertoli cells not only provides an efficient and convenient means for studying germ cell-Sertoli cell interactions through manipulation of the germ cell microenvironment in vivo, but also is a useful method to treat male infertility resulting from a Sertoli cell defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Mito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanatsu-Shinohara
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikegawa
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Narumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogonuki
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyokuni
authors.forename: Tasuku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Honjo
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinohara
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D007314:Insemination / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008845:Microinjections; D013087:Spermatids / Q000166:cytology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D001616:beta-Galactosidase