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Small RNAs can play critical roles in male infertility/contraception
April 10, 2009RENO, Nev.- University of Nevada School of Medicine scientists in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology have discovered insight into the reproductive workings of the male sex chromosome that may have significant implications for male infertility and contraception.
This important discovery has been published in Nature Genetics, one of the highest-ranking journals in the field of biomedical research based upon the impact factor.
"The sex chromosome silencing in meiotic male germ cells is a well-known phenomenon, which has been termed meiotic sex chromosome inactivation. I was surprised when we first observed that numerous microRNAs were highly expressed in these cells," said Wei Yan, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator for the study and associate professor of physiology and cell biology at the School of Medicine.
Working in collaboration with Dr. John McCarrey, professor of molecular biology and reproductive biology at the University of Texas, San Antonio, Yan's research group further investigated all the known X-linked microRNAs. Their data confirm that these X chromosome-derived microRNAs indeed escape the silencing effects and mange to be expressed.
"This finding opens a new avenue towards understanding the role of these small RNA species in the control of sperm production. Worldwide, one in nine couples in their reproductive age experience infertility. On the other hand, the number of unintended pregnancy is increasing yearly. Since these small RNAs are involved in the control of sperm formation, they can be causative factors in male infertility and also can be used as non-hormonal male contraceptive targets," added Yan.
Yan's research is focused on mammalian sperm and egg production and is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health. Rui Song, a third year graduate student and Seungil Ro, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physiology and cell biology, co-first authored this paper. Other contributing authors include Jason D. Michaels, a third year medical student, and Chanjae Park, Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher.
University of Nevada, Reno
Cell Biology Current Events and Cell Biology News RSSCSHL study shows that some malignant tumors can be shut down after all
Oncologists have had their hands tied because more than half of all human cancers have mutations that disable a protein called p53.
Common weed could provide clues on aging and cancer
A common weed and human cancer cells could provide some very uncommon details about DNA structure and its relationship with telomeres and how they affect cellular aging and cancer, according to a team led by scientists from Texas A&M University and the University of Cincinnati (UC).
Chemosensitivity of cancer cells depends on their protein dependency
Two different anti-apoptotic proteins support cancer cell survival via an identical mechanism, yet differ in their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs, report Brunelle et al. The study will be published online October 26, 2009 and in the November 2, 2009 print issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (JCB).
Skin cells may provide early warning for cancer risk elsewhere in body
While some scientists have argued that cancer is such a complex genetic disease that you'd have to sequence a person's complete genome in order to predict his or her cancer risk, a University of California, Berkeley, cell biologist suggests that the risk may be more simply determined by inexpensively culturing a few skin cells.
Cell death occurs in the same way in plants, animals and humans
Research has previously assumed that animals and plants developed different genetic programs for cell death.
Researchers identify mechanism that helps bacteria avoid destruction in cells
Infectious diseases currently cause about one-third of all human deaths worldwide, more than all forms of cancer combined. Advances in cell biology and microbial genetics have greatly enhanced understanding of the cause and mechanisms of infectious diseases.
UCSD researchers pave the way for effective liver treatments
A combination of bioengineering and medical research at the University of California, San Diego has led to a new discovery that could pave the way for more effective treatments for liver disease.
Governor recognizes stem cell research at Einstein
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University hosted a roundtable discussion on stem cell research with New York Governor David A. Paterson today.
Liver cells grown from patients' skin cells
Scientists at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee have successfully produced liver cells from patients' skin cells opening the possibility of treating a wide range of diseases that affect liver function.
Researcher Solves Mystery about Proteins that Package the Genome
A Florida State University College of Medicine researcher has solved a century-old mystery about proteins that play a vital role in the transfer of the human genetic code from one cell to another. The discovery could lead to finding new ways to help the body fight a variety of diseases, including cancer.
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