A research group led by Professor Takayuki Aoi of Kobe University Graduate School has succeeded in producing Leydig cells that produce androgen (testosterone) from human iPS cells.In the future, treatment of male menopause by Leydig cell transplantation is expected.

 Men also have menopause.With aging, male hormones (testosterone) decrease, and depressive symptoms, sexual function (such as libido and erectile ability), muscle mass, and bone density may decrease.It is said that there are hundreds of thousands to more than 200 million patients in Japan, but the recognition is low.Treatment includes regular androgen replacement therapy, but the problems with this treatment are the high number of hospital visits and the dynamics of blood hormone levels due to hormone replacement that does not depend on secretion.

 Therefore, the research group is investigating a method for producing Leydig cells (cells in the male testis (testis)) that produce androgens from human iPS cells that have the ability to differentiate into all cells and transplanting them into patients with male menopausal disorders. bottom.

 The production of Leydig cells was realized by expressing the NR5A1 protein, which is important for the development of gonads and adrenal glands, in male-derived iPS cells.The prepared cells expressed genes characteristic of Leydig cells and produced androgens.This androgen showed the function of promoting proliferation by cell proliferation experiments using LNCaP cells (cells proliferated by androgen).
Therefore, it turned out to be functional.

 The results of this study will lead to the realization of regenerative medicine in which Leydig cells prepared from human iPS cells are transplanted to male patients with menopausal disorders.In addition, since Leydig cells hardly proliferate and are difficult to culture, it is expected that research on various Leydig cells will progress using the cells produced this time.

Paper information:[Endocrinology] Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Into Testosterone-Producing Leydig-like Cells

Kobe University

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