PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

'Designer sperm' inserts custom genes into offspring

New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that altering genes in sperm and then inducing fertilization, produces new genes that are present and active in the embryos and inherited to at least the third generation

2013-12-03
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Cody Mooneyhan
cmooneyhan@faseb.org
301-634-7104
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
'Designer sperm' inserts custom genes into offspring New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that altering genes in sperm and then inducing fertilization, produces new genes that are present and active in the embryos and inherited to at least the third generation Bethesda, MD—Get ready: The "new genetics" promises to change faulty genes of future generations by introducing new, functioning genes using "designer sperm." A new research report appearing online in The FASEB Journal, shows that introducing new genetic material via a viral vector into the sperm of mice leads to the presence and activity of those genes in the resulting embryos. This new genetic material is actually inherited, present and functioning through three generations of the mice tested. This discovery—if successful in humans—could lead to a new frontier in genetic medicine in which diseases and disorders are effectively cured, and new human attributes, such as organ regeneration, may be possible.

"Transgenic technology is a most important tool for researching all kinds of disease in humans and animals, and for understanding crucial problems in biology," said Anil Chandrashekran, Ph.D., study author from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Royal Veterinary College in North Mimms, United Kingdom.

To achieve these results, Chandrashekran and colleagues used lentiviruses to generate transgenic animals via the male germ line. When pseudotyped lentiviral vectors encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) were incubated with mouse spermatozoa, these sperm were highly successful in producing transgenics. Lentivirally-transduced mouse spermatozoa were used in in vitro fertilization studies and when followed by embryo transfer, at least 42 percent of founders were transgenic for GFP. GFP expression was detected in a wide range of murine tissues, including testis and the transgene was stably transmitted to a third generation of transgenic animals.

"Using modified sperm to insert genetic material has the potential to be a major breakthrough not only in future research, but also in human medicine," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "It facilitates the development of transgenic animal models, and may lead to therapeutic benefits for people as well. For years we have chased effective gene therapies and have hit numerous speed bumps and dead ends. If we are able to able to alter sperm to improve the health of future generations, it would completely change our notions of 'preventative medicine.'"

### Receive monthly highlights from The FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). It is among the most cited biology journals worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information and has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century.

FASEB is composed of 27 societies with more than 110,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

Details: Hypothesis: Anil Chandrashekran, Rupa Sarkar, Adrian Thrasher, Scott E. Fraser, Nicholas Dibb, Colin Casimir, Robert Winston, and Carol Readhead. Efficient generation of transgenic mice by lentivirus-mediated modification of spermatozoa. FASEB J fj.13-233999; published ahead of print December 2, 2013, doi:10.1096/fj.13-233999 ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2013/11/28/fj.13-233999.abstract


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Bothersome pain afflicts half of older Americans

2013-12-03
Bothersome pain afflicts half of older Americans Findings from a unique study underscore need for public health action on pain and disability in the elderly, reports PAIN® Philadelphia, December 2, 2013 – More than half of older adults in the United States – ...

Mission possible: Simulation-based training and experimentation on display

2013-12-03
Mission possible: Simulation-based training and experimentation on display A unique system that merges the virtual and real worlds to train Sailors for combat scenarios was unveiled Dec. 2 in Orlando. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is demonstrating ...

NASA investigating the life of Comet ISON

2013-12-03
NASA investigating the life of Comet ISON After several days of continued observations, scientists continue to work to determine and to understand the fate of Comet ISON: There's no doubt that the comet shrank in size considerably as it rounded ...

Genetic mutation may play key role in risk of lethal prostate cancer in overweight patients

2013-12-03
Genetic mutation may play key role in risk of lethal prostate cancer in overweight patients Boston, MA — Obesity is associated with a worse prostate cancer prognosis among men whose tumors contain a specific genetic mutation, suggest results from a new study ...

NASA's HS3 hurricane mission called it a wrap for 2013

2013-12-03
NASA's HS3 hurricane mission called it a wrap for 2013 NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storms Sentinel airborne mission known as HS3 wrapped up for the 2013 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season at the end of September, and had several highlights. HS3 will return ...

SU biologist develops method for monitoring shipping noise in dolphin habitat

2013-12-03
SU biologist develops method for monitoring shipping noise in dolphin habitat Nathan Merchant is exploring the link between man-made noise and marine mammal populations A biologist in Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences has developed a system of techniques for ...

Osteoporosis drugs compared for side effects, efficacy in Loyola study

2013-12-03
Osteoporosis drugs compared for side effects, efficacy in Loyola study A study comparing the efficacy and tolerability of two popular osteoporosis drugs, denosumab and zoledronic acid, found that denosumab had a significantly greater effect on increasing spine ...

Micromovements hold hidden information about severity of autism, researchers report

2013-12-03
Micromovements hold hidden information about severity of autism, researchers report INDIANAPOLIS -- Movements so minute they cannot be detected by the human eye are being analyzed by researchers to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and determine its severity in children and ...

Vitamin D decreases pain in women with type 2 diabetes and depression

2013-12-03
Vitamin D decreases pain in women with type 2 diabetes and depression Vitamin D decreases pain in women with type 2 diabetes and depression, according to a study conducted at Loyola University Chicago. These findings were presented at an Oct. 24, 2013 research ...

Airborne radar looking through thick ice during NASA polar campaigns

2013-12-03
Airborne radar looking through thick ice during NASA polar campaigns The bedrock hidden beneath the thick ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica has intrigued researchers for years. Scientists are interested in how the shape of this hidden terrain ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Black youth, especially Black girls, use mental health services less than their White peers

Canada must protect youth from sports betting advertising

First-in-human trial shows promising results for DLL3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate SHR-4849 in relapsed small cell lung cancer

Ifinatamab deruxtecan demonstrates high response rate in previously treated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: Phase 2 IDeate-Lung01 trial

Higher blood pressure in childhood linked to earlier death from heart disease in adulthood

AI helped older adults report accurate blood pressure readings at home

High blood pressure in childhood and premature cardiovascular disease mortality

Zidesamtinib shows durable responses in ROS1 TKI pre-treated NSCLC, including patients with CNS disease and ROS1 G2032R mutations

Crizotinib fails to improve disease-free survival in resected early-stage ALK+ NSCLC

Ivonescimab plus chemotherapy improves progression-free survival in patients with EGFR+ NSCLC following 3rd-generation EGFR-TKI therapy

FLAURA2 trial shows osimertinib plus chemotherapy improves overall survival in eGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC

Aumolertinib plus chemotherapy improves progression-free survival in NSCLC with EGFR and concomitant tumor suppressor genes: ACROSS 2 phase III study

New antibody-drug conjugate shows promising efficacy in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients

Iza-Bren in combination with osimertinib shows 100% response rate in EGFR-mutated NSCLC, phase II study finds

COMPEL study shows continuing osimertinib treatment through progression with the addition of chemotherapy improves progression-free survival in EGFR-mutated NSCLC

CheckMate 77T: Nivolumab maintains quality of life and reduces symptom deterioration in resectable NSCLC

Study validates AI lung cancer risk model Sybil in predominantly Black population at urban safety-net hospital

New medication lowered hard-to-control high blood pressure in people with chronic kidney disease

Innovative oncolytic virus and immunotherapy combinations pave the way for advanced cancer treatment

New insights into energy metabolism and immune dynamics could transform head and neck cancer treatment

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Steven Heymsfield named LSU Boyd Professor – LSU’s highest faculty honor

Study prompts new theory of human-machine communication

New method calculates rate of gene expression to understand cell fate

Researchers quantify rate of essential evolutionary process in the ocean

Innovation Crossroads companies join forces, awarded U.S. Air Force contract

Using new blood biomarkers, USC researchers find Alzheimer’s disease trial eligibility differs among various populations

Pioneering advances in in vivo CAR T cell production

Natural medicines target tumor vascular microenvironment to inhibit cancer growth

Coral-inspired pill offers a new window into the hidden world of the gut

nTIDE September2025 Jobs Report: Employment for people with disabilities surpasses prior high

[Press-News.org] 'Designer sperm' inserts custom genes into offspring
New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that altering genes in sperm and then inducing fertilization, produces new genes that are present and active in the embryos and inherited to at least the third generation