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Targeted Gene Silencing to Induce Permanent Sterility
Journal article   Open access

Targeted Gene Silencing to Induce Permanent Sterility

Gregory A Dissen, Alejandro Lomniczi, Ryan L Boudreau, Yong Hong Chen, Beverly L Davidson and Sergio R Ojeda
Reproduction in domestic animals, Vol.47(Suppl 4), pp.228-232
08/2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02080.x
PMCID: PMC3516287
PMID: 22827375
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02080.xView
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

A nonsurgical method to induce sterility would be a useful tool to control feral populations of animals. Our laboratories have experience with approaches aimed at targeting brain cells\nin vivo\nwith vehicles that deliver a payload of either inhibitory RNAs or genes intended to correct cellular dysfunction. A combination/modification of these methods may provide a useful framework for the design of approaches that can be used to sterilize cats and dogs. For this approach to succeed it has to meet several conditions: It needs to target a gene essential for fertility. It must involve a method that can selectively silence the gene of interest. It also needs to deliver the silencing agent via a minimally invasive method. Finally, the silencing effect needs to be sustained for many years, so that expansion of the targeted population can be effectively prevented. In this article we discuss this subject and provide a succinct account of our previous experience with: a) molecular reagents able to disrupt reproductive cyclicity when delivered to regions of the brain involved in the control of reproduction, and b) molecular reagents able to ameliorate neuronal disease when delivered systemically using a novel approach of gene therapy.
microRNA Adeno-associated virus RNA interference

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