Scientists from the California Institute of Technology have found a way to ensure animal populations don’t grow out of control.
A vaccine that attacks the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) may be the answer since GnRH causes sperms and eggs to develop, finds a new study published in the journal Current Biology.
The researchers tested the injection on a group of mice, writes Popular Science. The shot contained a small amount of DNA that can make muscle cells create specialized antibodies to attack GnRH.
It took two months for the mice’s bodies to produce enough antibodies to render them completely infertile.
Another advantage of this shot is that it could last for 10 years or more due to muscle cells being the longest-lived in the body, according to Popular Science.
The team is exploring how to block different types of hormones to gauge how effective this shot could be in reducing pest species populations, such as deer or mice.
The team discusses their findings in a new study published in the journal Current Biology.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
