Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on January 5, 2006
Human Reproduction 2006 21(5):1309-1315; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei463
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow Supplementary Data
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
21/5/1309    most recent
dei463v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (11)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Walden, C. M.
Right arrow Articles by van der Spoel, A. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Walden, C. M.
Right arrow Articles by van der Spoel, A. C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Long-term non-hormonal male contraception in mice using N-butyldeoxynojirimycin

Charlotte M. Walden, Terry D. Butters, Raymond A. Dwek, Frances M. Platt and Aarnoud C. van der Spoel1

The Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

1 To whom correspondence should be addressed: The Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK. E-mail: aarnoud.vanderspoel{at}bioch.ox.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: The imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) causes reversible infertility in male mice. This compound may have promise as a male contraceptive, because it is already in clinical use, for a non-reproductive condition. As contraceptives need to be taken for extended periods of time, it was essential to evaluate NB-DNJ for its reproductive effects over a long period of administration. METHODS: We have assessed the imino sugar for its long-term effects on the fertility of male C57BL/6 mice, reversibility and potential cumulative toxicity by monitoring various reproductive and systemic parameters over 12 months. RESULTS: Long-term low-dose (15 mg/kg/day) administration of NB-DNJ was sufficient to maintain infertility in male mice. In contrast to short-term drug treatment, imino sugar exposure for more than 3 months resulted in reduced sperm counts. Male mice that had been administered imino sugar for 6, 10 or 12 months and were then maintained without drug administration regained their fertility within 9 weeks after withdrawal of the drug. Prolonged NB-DNJ intake did not affect reproductive hormone levels, serum biochemistry or animal behaviour. CONCLUSION: Low-dose treatment with NB-DNJ over a long period is an effective approach for the regulation of fertility in a male mammal by non-hormonal means, without causing overt adverse effects.

Key words: acrosome/behaviour/imino sugar/male contraception/sperm morphology


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
C. M. Walden, R. Sandhoff, C.-C. Chuang, Y. Yildiz, T. D. Butters, R. A. Dwek, F. M. Platt, and A. C. van der Spoel
Accumulation of Glucosylceramide in Murine Testis, Caused by Inhibition of beta-Glucosidase 2: IMPLICATIONS FOR SPERMATOGENESIS
J. Biol. Chem., November 9, 2007; 282(45): 32655 - 32664.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
J.K. Amory, C.H. Muller, S.T. Page, E. Leifke, E.R. Pagel, A. Bhandari, B. Subramanyam, W. Bone, A. Radlmaier, and W.J. Bremner
Miglustat has no apparent effect on spermatogenesis in normal men
Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2007; 22(3): 702 - 707.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.