Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization
05:55

Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization

Published on: June 17, 2025

925

Exposure to Mycophenolate and Fatherhood

Karsten Midtvedt1, Stein Bergan, Anna Varberg Reisæter

  • 11 Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. 2 Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 4 Norwegian Renal Registry, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. 5 Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 6 Department of Medicine, Haugesund Hospital, Haugesund, Norway.

Transplantation
|March 28, 2017
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Paternal exposure to mycophenolic acid (MPA) in kidney transplant patients did not increase risks for birth defects or impact birth weight in offspring. These findings suggest MPA is safe for fathers before, during, and after conception.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Transplantation Medicine
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is a crucial immunosuppressant used post-organ transplantation.
  • MPA is known to be teratogenic in women and may affect male fertility.
  • Limited data exists on pregnancy outcomes fathered by men exposed to MPA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the outcomes of pregnancies fathered by renal transplant recipients exposed to MPA.
  • To determine if paternal MPA exposure influences adverse birth outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A nationwide retrospective cohort study utilizing Norwegian registries.
  • Included renal transplant men between 1995-2015.
  • Compared pregnancy outcomes between MPA-exposed and unexposed fathers.

Main Results:

  • No significant increase in malformation risks observed in children fathered by MPA-exposed men (3.9% vs. 2.6%).
  • Birth weights were comparable between exposed and unexposed groups (3381g vs. 3429g).
  • Average MPA dose was 1.42 ± 0.3 g/day with median trough concentration of 2.8 ± 1.6 mg/L.

Conclusions:

  • Paternal exposure to MPA does not elevate the risk of adverse birth outcomes.
  • Findings are reassuring for the continuation of MPA therapy in men.
  • Supports paternal MPA use before, during, and after conception.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Long-Term Health Impacts of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection on Offspring06:11

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Long-Term Health Impacts of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection on Offspring

Published on: May 17, 2024

1.2K
Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes03:19

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

828

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
4.4K
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu01:29

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu

Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...
71
Spermatogenesis01:41

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male...
124.2K
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
38.1K
Infertility in Males01:23

Infertility in Males

Male infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, arising from various factors that impact different stages of the reproductive process. An endocrine imbalance resulting from conditions like hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, or pituitary disorders can disrupt hormone levels and reduce sperm production. Testicular defects, such as tumors, cryptorchidism, atrophic testes, abnormal sperm morphology, and low sperm count or motility, may arise due to genetic factors, structural...
629
Pharmacogenetics of Phase II Enzymes: N-acetyltransferase, Thiopurine S-methyltransferase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase01:27

Pharmacogenetics of Phase II Enzymes: N-acetyltransferase, Thiopurine S-methyltransferase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase

Phase II biotransformation reactions are essential for detoxifying and eliminating xenobiotics, including many pharmaceutical compounds. These reactions typically involve conjugation, the covalent attachment of polar endogenous groups such as glucuronic acid, sulfate, methyl, or acetyl moieties to functional groups introduced during Phase I metabolism. The resulting conjugates are more water-soluble, enabling efficient renal or biliary excretion.The major classes of Phase II enzymes include...
47