Doctors and scientists say mutations occurring early in conception is linked to male infertility later in life.
While that may sound like genetic hopelessness, scientists believe the discovery can help with future
treatments for men suffering from infertility.
The breakthrough came from United Kingdom’s Newcastle University scientists.
The study was published in January in the medical journal Nature Communications.
The study included 185 infertile men and their parents.
The Discovery
It shows that male infertility is strongly connected to cell mutations happening during the reproduction process.
This is when both parents’ DNA is replicated into the baby.
However, the mutations aren’t inherited from either parent.
This study is radically different from previous efforts, according to Professor Joris Veltman, Dean of Newcastle University’s Biosciences Institute.
He said previous studies were based on the premise that each parent carried a mutated gene and the son suffered infertility issues when he received copies of both mutated genes.
The Newcastle study shows the mutation isn’t passed down but occurs during replication in reproduction.
Veltman said more will need to be done to understand how and why this occurs.
“At present, we don’t understand the underlying cause in the majority of infertile men, and this research will hopefully increase the percentage of men for whom we can provide answers,” Veltman said.
The Gene
A number of cellular processes occur during conception that affect sperm cell development.
That includes as many as 29 mutations to genes directly involved in processes affecting reproduction later in life.
Infertile men had mutations in one gene in common.
That was gene RBM5.
Scientists want to expand research by studying thousands of men and their parents in an international study.
They believe follow up on the newly discovered mutated genes can change how doctors treat sperm issues in men.
Doctors state that approximately 7% of men are infertile and half of fertility issues in heterosexual coups are because of male infertility.
Conclusion
There are many reasons for infertility and understanding how it happens can help a couple deal with it better.
It also helps to know the answers provided by research and medical options available to each couple.
