Compositions and methods for treating female fertility

Abstract

The PTX3 gene or equivalent PTX3 activity is required for female fertility. Manipulation of PTX3 activity will regulate female fertility. The effects of female sterility may be ameliorated, reproductive ability may be increased or decreased as desired, female fertility may be enhanced, or combinations thereof. The need for therapies that affect female fertility is thereby addressed.

1 . A method of screening a pharmaceutical compound to asses the capability of said compound to affect the reproductive ability in a female subject comprising measuring or detecting the ability or effectiveness of said compound to increase or decrease the presence or activity of PTX3 in the extracellular matrix of cumulous oophorus, or measuring or detecting the ability or effectiveness of said compound to increase or decrease the presence or activity of PTX3 expressed from granulosa cells, or measuring or detecting the ability or effectiveness of said compound to bind or inhibit the binding of PTX3 to a target receptor or to function.