Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Direct gene delivery to murine testis as a possible means of transfection of mature sperm and epithelial cells lining epididymal ducts

  • Review Article
  • Gene Transfer to Gonads
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

The use of a sperm cell to introduce exogenous DNA into an oocyte at the time of fertilization is of interest for the simple production of transgenic mice, and is now called ‘sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT)’.In vivo transfection of sperm cells has been developed as an alternative method for SMGT and can be carried out by direct gene delivery into an interstitial space in a testis (now called ‘testis-mediated gene transfer [TMGT]’), into the vas deferens, or into seminiferous tubules. This review summarizes what has been achieved in the field ofin vivo gene transfer using sperm cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gordon JW, Scangos GA, Plotkin DJet al. Genetic transformation of mouse embryos by microinjection of purified DNA.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1980;77: 7380–7384.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lavitrano M, Camaioni A, Fazio VMet al. Sperm cells as vectors for introducing foreign DNA into eggs: genetic transformation of mice.Cell 1989;57: 717–723.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Brinster RL, Sandgren EP, Behringer RRet al. No simple solution for making transgenic mice. Letters to the editor.Cell 1989;59: 239–241.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Al-Shawi R, Ansell JD, Bishop JOet al. Failure to produce transgenic mice by exposing spermatozoa to DNA.Mouse Genome 1990;86: 224.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chen TM, Chen YH. Transgenic sperm or deadly missiles?Fertil Steril 1996;66: 167–179.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Spadafora C. Sperm cells and foreign DNA: a controversial relation.Bioessays 1998;20: 955–964.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Smith KR. Sperm cell mediated transgenesis: a review.Anim Biotechnol 1999;10: 1–13.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gandolfi F. Sperm-mediated transgensis.Theriogenology 2000;53: 127–137.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Smith KR. Gene transfer in higher animals: theoretical considerations and key concepts.J Biotechnol 2002;99: 1–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lauria A, Gandolfi F. Recent advances in sperm cell mediated gene transfer.Mol Reprod Dev 1993;36: 255–257.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Smith KR. Gene therapy: the potential applicability of gene transfer technology to the human germline.Int J Med Sci 2004;1: 76–91.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Smith K, Spadafora C. Sperm-mediated gene transfer: applications and implications.Bioessays 2005;27: 551–562.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Sato M, Iwase R, Kasai Ket al. Direct injection of foreign DNA into mouse testis as a possible alternative of sperm-mediated gene transfer.Anim Biotechnol 1994;5: 19–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ogawa S, Hayashi K, Tada Net al. Gene expression in blastocysts following direct injection of DNA into testis.J Reprod Dev 1995;41: 379–382.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sato M, Gotoh K, Kimura M. Sperm-mediated gene transfer by direct injection of foreign DNA into mouse testis.Transgenics 1999;2: 357–369.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sato M, Yabuki K, Watanabe Tet al. Testis-mediated gene transfer (TMGT) in mice: successful transmission of introduced DNA from F0 to F2 generations.Transgenics 1999;3: 11–22.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chang K-T, Ikeda A, Hayashi Ket al. Production of transgenic rats and mice by the testis-mediated gene transfer.J Reprod Dev 1999;45: 29–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chang K-T, Ikeda A, Hayashi Ket al. Possible mechanisms for the testis-mediated gene transfer as a new method for producing transgenic animals.J Reprod Dev 1999;45: 37–42.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sato M, Watanabe T, Yasuoka Yet al. Testis-mediated gene transfer (TMGT) in mice: attempts to improve TMGT using commercially available reagents used for gene transfer in mammalian culture system.Transgenics 2001;3: 131–141.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yonezawa T, Furuhata Y, Hirabayashi Ket al. Detection of transgene in progeny at different developmental stages following testis-mediated gene transfer.Mol Reprod Dev 2001;60: 196–201.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sato M, Ishikawa A, Kimura M. Direct injection of foreign DNA into mouse testis as a possiblein vivo gene transfer systemvia epididymal spermatozoa.Mol Reprod Dev 2002;61: 49–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kojima Y, Sasaki S, Umemoto Yet al. Effects of adenovirus mediated gene transfer to mouse testisin vivo on spermatogenesis and next generation.J Urol 2003;170: 2109–2114.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sato M, Shingo N. Testis-mediated gene transfer (TMGT) in mice: effects of repeated DNA injections on the efficiency of gene delivery and expression.Transgenics 2004;4: 101–119.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sato M, Shingo N. A novel gene transmission pattern of exogenous DNA in offspring obtained after testis-mediated gene transfer (TMGT).Transgenics 2004;4: 121–135.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lu JK, Fu BH, Wu JLet al. Production of transgenic silver sea bream (Sparus sarba) by different gene transfer methods.Mar Biotechnol 2002;4: 328–337.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Muramatsu T, Shibata O, Ryoki Set al. Foreign gene expression in the mouse testis by localizedin vivo gene transfer.Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997;233: 45–49.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Kim JH, Jung-Ha HS, Lee HTet al. Development of a positive method for male stem cell-mediated gene transfer in mouse and pig.Mol Reprod Dev 1997;46: 515–526.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Blanchard KT, Boekelheide K. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to rat testisin vivo.Biol Reprod 1997;56: 495–500.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Yamazaki Y, Fujimoto H, Ando Het al.In vivo gene transfer to mouse spermatogenic cells by deoxyribonucleic acid injection into seminiferous tubules and subsequent electroporation.Biol Reprod 1998;59: 1439–1444.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Yamazaki Y, Yagi T, Ozaki Tet al.In vivo gene transfer to mouse spermatogenic cells using green fluorescent protein as a marker.J Exp Zool 2000;286: 212–218.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Huang Z, Tamura M, Sakurai Tet al.In vivo transfection of testicular germ cells and transgenesis by using the mitochondorially localized jellyfish fluorescent protein gene.FEBS Lett 2000;487: 248–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Celebi C, Auvray P, Benvegnu Tet al. Transient transmission of a transgene in mouse offspring followingin vivo transfection of male germ cells.Mol Reprod Dev 2002;62: 477–482.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Nagano M, Shinohara T, Avarbock MRet al. Retrovirus-mediated gene delivery into male germ line stem cells.FEBS Lett 2000;475: 7–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Nagano M, Brinster CJ, Orwig KEet al. Transgenic mice produced by retroviral transduction of male germ-line stem cells.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2001;98: 13090–13095.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Hamra FK, Gatlin J, Chapman KMet al. Production of transgenic rats by lentiviral transduction of male germ-line stem cells.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2002;99: 14931–14936.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Orwig KE, Avarbock MR, Brinster RL. Retrovirus-mediated modification of male germline stem cells in rats.Biol Reprod 2002;67: 874–879.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Honaramooz A, Megee SO, Dobrinski I. Germ cell transplantation in pigs.Biol Reprod 2002;66: 21–28.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Honaramooz A, Behboodi E, Blash Set al. Germ cell transplantation in goats.Mol Reprod Dev 2003;64: 422–428.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Meachem S, von Schönfeldt V, Schlatt S. Spermatogonia: stem cells with a great perspective.Reproduction 2001;121: 825–834.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Turner TT. On the epididymis and its role in the development of the fertile ejaculate.J Androl 1995;16: 292–298.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Hinton BT, Palladino MA, Rudolph Det al. The epididymis as protector of maturing spermatozoa.Reprod Fertil Dev 1995;7: 731–745.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Krimpenfort P, Rademakers A, Eyestone Wet al. Generation of transgenic dairy cattle using ‘invitro’ embryo production.Biotechnol 1991;9: 844–848.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Huguet E, Esponda P. Foreign DNA introduced into the vas deferens is gained by mammalian spermatozoa.Mol Reprod Dev 1998;51: 42–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Huguet E, Esponda P. Generation of genetically modified mice by spermatozoa transfectionin vivo: preliminary results.Mol Reprod Dev 2000;56: 243–247.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Lavitrano M, French D, Zani Met al. The interaction between exogenous DNA and sperm cells.Mol Reprod Dev 1992;31: 161–169.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Arezzo F. Sea urchin sperm as vectors for foreign genetic transformation.Cell Biol Int Rep 1989;13: 391–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Horan R, Powell R, McQuaid S et al. Association of foreign DNA with porcine spermatozoa.Arch Androl 1991;26: 83–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Atkinson PW, Hines ER, Beaton Set al. Association of exogenous DNA with cattle and insect spermatozoain vitro.Mol Reprod Dev 1991;29: 1–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Nakanishi A, Iritani A. Gene transfer in the chicken by spermmediated methods.Mol Reprod Dev 1993;36: 258–261.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Wang HJ, Lin AX, Chen YE Association of rabbit sperm cells with exogenous DNA.Anim Biotechnol 2003;14: 155–165.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Maione B, Pittoggi C, Achene Let al. Activation of endogenous nucleases in mature sperm cells upon interaction with exogenous DNA.DNA Cell Biol 1997;16: 1087–1097.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Basic Molecular Science and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Bohseidai, Isehara, 259-1193, Kanagawa, Japan

    Masahiro Sato

Authors
  1. Masahiro Sato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masahiro Sato.

About this article

Cite this article

Sato, M. Direct gene delivery to murine testis as a possible means of transfection of mature sperm and epithelial cells lining epididymal ducts. Reprod Med Biol 5, 1–7 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2006.00117.x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2006.00117.x

Key words

Search

Navigation