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1 February 2009 Genetic Loss of Faah Compromises Male Fertility in Mice
Xiaofei Sun, Haibin Wang, Masaru Okabe, Kenneth Mackie, Philip J. Kingsley, Lawrence J. Marnett, Benjamin F. Cravatt, Sudhansu K. Dey
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug. Although there is some indication that reproductive functions in males are impaired in chronic marijuana users, the genetic evidence and underlying causes remain largely unknown. Herein we show that genetic loss of Faah, which encodes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), results in elevated levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, in the male reproductive system, leading to compromised fertilizing capacity of sperm. This defect is rescued by superimposing deletion of cannabinoid receptor 1 (Cnr1). Retention of Faah−/− sperm on the egg zona pellucida provides evidence that the capacity of sperm to penetrate the zona barrier is hampered by elevated anandamide levels. Collectively, the results show that aberrant endocannabinoid signaling via CNR1 impairs normal sperm function. Besides unveiling a new regulatory mechanism of sperm function, this study has clinical significance in male fertility.

Xiaofei Sun, Haibin Wang, Masaru Okabe, Kenneth Mackie, Philip J. Kingsley, Lawrence J. Marnett, Benjamin F. Cravatt, and Sudhansu K. Dey "Genetic Loss of Faah Compromises Male Fertility in Mice," Biology of Reproduction 80(2), 235-242, (1 February 2009). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.108.072736
Received: 13 August 2008; Accepted: 1 October 2008; Published: 1 February 2009
KEYWORDS
anandamide
CNR1
FAAH
male fertility
Mouse
sperm
sperm capacitation
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