Health & Medicine
Key-Substance Identified That Protects Against Premature Birth
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Jan 12, 2015 04:38 PM EST
Researchers at UT Southwestern have discovered hyaluronon (HA), a critical substance made by the body that protects against premature births caused by infection. For many countries, this is known as the leading cause of infant mortality.
"We found that HA is required to allow the epithelial lining of the reproductive tract to serve as the first line of defense against bacterial infections," said senior author Dr. Mala Mahendroo, an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology'sCecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, in a news release. "Because of this action, HA offers cervical protection against the bacterial infections that cause 25 to 40 percent of pre-term births in women."
The natural substance is found in many tissues, and is both a lubricant and a benefical component of eyes, joints and skin. It's long been thought to play an essential role in increasing the cervix's flexibility during the birth process. However, researchers found that HA is not essential for increased cervical pliability during late pregnancy. Furthermore, the substance plays an important barrier role in epithelial cells of the lower reproductive tract and helps protect against infection-related pre-term birth. Researchers also estimated that 1.09 million children under the age of 5 die from direct complications of being born prematurely before the 37th week of pregnancy.
Previous findings have shown how HA is present in both the cervix and cervical mucus of pregnant women. Researchers hope to determine the mechanism by which it affects cervical protection against infection.
"This study demonstrates that HA plays a crucial role in the epithelial barrier as well as the cervix's mucus," added Dr. Yucel Akgul, first author of the study and research scientist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Our next step is to identify exactly how HA protects the cervix, which can have important clinical implications in the effort to reduce infection-mediated pre-term labor."
More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
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First Posted: Jan 12, 2015 04:38 PM EST
Researchers at UT Southwestern have discovered hyaluronon (HA), a critical substance made by the body that protects against premature births caused by infection. For many countries, this is known as the leading cause of infant mortality.
"We found that HA is required to allow the epithelial lining of the reproductive tract to serve as the first line of defense against bacterial infections," said senior author Dr. Mala Mahendroo, an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology'sCecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, in a news release. "Because of this action, HA offers cervical protection against the bacterial infections that cause 25 to 40 percent of pre-term births in women."
The natural substance is found in many tissues, and is both a lubricant and a benefical component of eyes, joints and skin. It's long been thought to play an essential role in increasing the cervix's flexibility during the birth process. However, researchers found that HA is not essential for increased cervical pliability during late pregnancy. Furthermore, the substance plays an important barrier role in epithelial cells of the lower reproductive tract and helps protect against infection-related pre-term birth. Researchers also estimated that 1.09 million children under the age of 5 die from direct complications of being born prematurely before the 37th week of pregnancy.
Previous findings have shown how HA is present in both the cervix and cervical mucus of pregnant women. Researchers hope to determine the mechanism by which it affects cervical protection against infection.
"This study demonstrates that HA plays a crucial role in the epithelial barrier as well as the cervix's mucus," added Dr. Yucel Akgul, first author of the study and research scientist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Our next step is to identify exactly how HA protects the cervix, which can have important clinical implications in the effort to reduce infection-mediated pre-term labor."
More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone