ECM1 and TEX101 could save infertile men a lot of grief.
Toronto scientists studied 2,000 proteins before determining that this pair has the potential to reveal whether or not there are sperm cells in a man’s semen, and point to the nature of the problem.
The causes of male infertility vary, but to determine if there are issues with sperm production, or a blockage in the sperm-carrying ducts, doctors currently rely on biopsies involving the insertion of one to three needles in the testicles. The research team believes testing for the markers could eliminate the need for the invasive surgery, in most cases.
The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine this week.
Dr. Keith Jarvi, the head of urology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told CBC News “I think our patients would flock to use this test. Anyone would prefer to do this rather than have the biopsy.”
An affordable test is not yet available commercially, but Jarvi hopes to be able to offer it to patients at Mount Sinai Hospital within a year.
Between 10% and 15% of couples in developed countries are thought to be unable to conceive a child. In a span of 25 years, it is estimated that the prevalence of Canadian couples incapable of getting pregnant after at least 12 months of trying rose from 5% to between 12 and 16%. About half of cases are said to relate to male infertility.
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