A ground-breaking contraceptive pill for men could be just around the corner after scientists identified a gene that, once removed, temporarily renders sperm infertile.

The potentially historic breakthrough contraceptive pill would also have no hormonal side effects and could be additionally used on animals to quell overpopulation and replace castrations.

The research team discovered a protein encoded by this gene, found solely in the testicular tissue of most mammals, which reduced sperm counts and deformed remaining sperm to make them incapable of fertilizing an egg when altered.

Crucially, and exactly like the female contraceptive pill, the destabilization of the infertility protein is not permanent, meaning sperm will recover once the person or animal stops taking the pills.

The team from Washington State University (WSU) observed that male mice lacking the gene called Arrdc5 located in testicular tissues produced 28% less sperm which moved 2.8 times slower than in normal mice.

The results of the study appear to indicate that the protein encoded by this gene is essential for normal sperm production.

Study authors Dr. Jon Oatley and Dr. Mariana Giassetti have already filed a provisional patent for the development of a male contraceptive based on this gene and the protein it encodes.

The WSU team next plans to work on designing a drug that would inhibit the production or function of this protein.

But disruption will not require any hormonal interference; a key hurdle considering the multiple roles testosterone plays beyond sperm production in men, including the building of bone mass and muscle strength as well as red blood cell production.

"You don't want to wipe out the ability to ever make sperm—just to stop the sperm that are being made from being made correctly," said Dr. Oatley, senior author and a professor in WSU's School of Molecular Biosciences. "Then, in theory, you could remove the drug and the sperm would start being built normally again."

The scientists analyzed available data on DNA and protein sequences in mammals and found this particular gene in nearly every known mammal species.

This, Oatley said, has the potential to open up development for male contraception in animals which could replace cruel castrations in livestock populations and help manage the overpopulation of some wild animals.

However, the WSU scientists insist they are for now focused on producing an effective contraceptive pill for men to hand them more control over their reproduction.

"Right now, we don't really have anything on the male side for contraception other than surgery, and only a small percentage of men choose vasectomies," said Dr. Oatley. "If we can develop this discovery into a solution for contraception, it could have far-ranging impacts."

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