Aditi Chauhan
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
Title: Evaluation of sperm impairing factor from Escherichia coli as male contraceptive in mouse model
Biography
Biography: Aditi Chauhan
Abstract
Men in many countries are ready to share the benefits and burden of family planning equally but till date condom and vasectomy are the only contraceptive methods available for them. Therefore, the hunt for more effective and safer alternatives is still on, wherein, one exploiting rich diversity of microorganisms can be thought of. Earlier in our laboratory, sperm immobilizing factor (SIF) isolated from Escherichia coli has shown admirable spermicidal activity in vitro and excellent contraceptive efficacy in female mice. Thus, the present study was designed to exploit SIF as potential male contraceptive using intratestis as a preferred route of administration. SIF (10, 50, 100, 200 and 400μg) was administered in the right testis whereas the left testis served as control. The mice were sacrificed at Day 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45, 60 and 90 and the results in terms of change in body weight, seminal parameters, tissue somatic indices and histopathology were studied. The weight profile and tissue somatic indices of reproductive as well as of non-reproductive organs showed no significant change in all experimental groups. In case of seminal parameters, inhibition of spermatogenesis was observed in right testis treated with 400 μg of SIF and azoospermia persisted till day 90. Further, histological studies revealed blockage of spermatogenesis in treated side as compared to the non treated side where normal tissue histology was observed. Hence, SIF when administered intratesticularly can lead to complete azoospermia and holds a potential to be exploited as a male contraceptive in future.