Norman, a graduate student in the lab of Gunda Georg, Ph.D., at the University of Minnesota under the name of Norman, mentioned that they wanted to create a non-hormonal male contraceptive to avoid such side effects. Thus, bringing them to this specific inquiry.
More About the Study
The research team put their concentration on retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha to create a non-hormonal drug.
Inside the body, vitamin A is converted into various forms, including retinoic acid, which is essential for the following processes:
- Cell growth
- Cell differentiation (as well as sperm formation)
- Embryo development
In order to operate efficiently, retinoic acid must interact with RAR-alpha. According to the researchers, knocking out the RAR- gene in male mice renders them sterile with no obvious side effects.
As a result, the researchers created a compound that inhibits RAR-alpha activity. They used a computer model to determine the best molecular structure.
They discovered a compound called YCT529 that inhibited RAR-α nearly 500 times more powerfully than β and -γ. When it was orally administered to male mice for four weeks, it significantly reduced sperm counts and was 99% effective in controlling pregnancy with no observable side effects. But, the mice were able to father pups again 4-6 weeks after inexposure to the compound.
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