Erythropoietin non-viral gene therapy does not affect motility, viability, morphology or concentration of rabbit sperm

• Published in: Animal (Cambridge, England) Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 778 - 783
• Main Authors: Collares, T. F., Campos, V. F., Urtiaga, G., Leon, P. M. M., Amaral, M. G., Hartleben, C. P., McBride, A. J., Dellagostin, O. A., Deschamps, J. C., Seixas, F. K., Collares, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2013; Elsevier Limited; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Cloning, Molecular; complementary DNA; EPO; Erythrocytes; erythropoietin; Erythropoietin - genetics; gene therapy; gene transfer; Genetic Therapy - methods; Genetic Therapy - veterinary; HeLa Cells; hematocrit; Humans; Male; Physiology and functional biology of systems; plasmid DNA; Rabbits; reproductive performance; rHuEPO; sperm characteristics; sperm motility; Sperm Motility - physiology; spermatozoa; Spermatozoa - cytology; Spermatozoa - physiology; testes; Testis; viability; vigor; rHuEPO; plasmid DNA; EPO; sperm characteristics
• ISSN: 1751-7311; 1751-732X; 1751-732X
• DOI: 10.1017/S1751731112002157

Erythropoietin (EPO) gene therapy can be used for several purposes; however, its effects on reproductive performance are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of non-viral (EPO) gene transfer on sperm motility, viability, morphology and concentration. Rabbit EPO cDNA was cloned into a pTarget mammalian expression vector. Rabbits were administered with: (1) pTarget/EPO vector, (2) recombinant human EPO (rHuEpo) and (3) saline (control). Both pTarget/EPO and rHuEpo significantly increased (P < 0.05) hematocrit levels 1 week after injection and they remained significantly higher than the control for up to 5 weeks (P < 0.05), showing that both EPO treatments were effective in stimulating the production of red blood cells in rabbits. The EPO gene transfer or rHuEPO administration had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on sperm motility, vigor, viability, concentration or morphology in the testis.