Advantages
- Simplicity: No removal of the zona pellucida is required in the handling of fertilized embryos.
- Safety: No gene transfer to the genome.
Technology Overview & Background
To elucidate the function of the placenta, it is essential to conduct placental site-specific analysis using experimental animals. However, conventional gene transfer methods are relatively difficult to introduce genes specifically to the placental site, and methods for such analysis have been limited. As a method of gene transfer to the placenta, it is known that lentiviral vectors are used to introduce foreign genes into the placental region of fertilized embryos (trophic ectoderm and later trophoblast) specifically. However, this method requires the removal of the zona pellucida from the surface of the early fertilized embryo in order to infect it with lentiviral vectors, which may cause damage to the fertilized embryo during the experimental manipulation. In addition, although foreign genes can be efficiently introduced, lentiviral vectors are not site-specific as they are randomly introduced into the host genome, and there are problems such as mutagenicity due to destruction of endogenous genomic genes. In addition, lentiviruses must be handled in a biosafety level 2 experimental facility, and from this point of view, a simpler experimental method was required.
Based on these backgrounds, the inventors have developed a new method for introducing foreign genes specifically into trophoblast cells (cells that later form the placenta) of fertilized embryos in the blastocyst stage of mammals. This method is superior to the conventional techniques described above in terms of both operability and convenience, as it does not require the removal of the transparent zone on the surface of the early fertilized embryo, the gene is introduced specifically into the trophoblast and not into the genome, and the experimental operation is safer and easier in terms of biosafety. Therefore, this technology is expected to be used in research (e.g., gene therapy) to eliminate miscarriages and adverse effects on fetuses caused by implantation defects and placental abnormalities in humans and livestock.
Patent(s)
Applied in Japan, before PCT phase; not yet published.
Researcher
Masahito IKAWA, PhD (Professor, RIMD, Osaka University, Japan)
Expectations
TECH MANAGE is looking for companies that are interested in licensing this invention for commercialization and application. We are available for direct meetings with researchers regarding this invention/project, so please feel free to contact us with any requests you may have.
In addition to disclosing unpublished data under a confidentiality agreement with Osaka University, you may also consider joint research on this topic or evaluation of the technology or invention for a fee during a prescribed term (MTA agreement and/or optional arrangements such as preferential negotiation rights, etc.).
Project.JT-04824