RESEARCH MAY LEAD TO NEW TREATMENTS TO PREVENT PRETERM BIRTH
Preterm birth - birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy - affects up to one in every six births in the United States and many other countries. It is the leading cause of infant death and long-term illnesses, and imposes heavy social and economic burdens. Although preterm birth is a complex condition, infection of the mother and ensuing inflammation in pregnancy are a common trigger.
In a recent study published in the premier biomedical research journal Nature Medicine, a team of researchers led by Wayne State University's Kang Chen, Ph.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the School of Medicine, discovered the critical function of a type of mother's immune cells - B lymphocytes - in resisting preterm birth triggered by inflammation.
Dr. Chen said B lymphocytes make antibodies to defend the body against infections, but scientists and clinicians have always thought the cells are rare or absent in the uterine lining and not important in pregnancy.
Dr. Chen's lab discovered that in late pregnancy, the mother's B lymphocytes not only reside in the uterine lining in both humans and mice, but also detect inflammation and uterine stress, which are major causes of preterm birth. They found that the B lymphocytes produce molecules, including one called PIBF1, to suppress uterine inflammation and premature birth.
"This study not only reveals the long-neglected function of B lymphocytes in promoting healthy pregnancy, but also supports therapeutic approaches of using B lymphocyte-derived molecules, such as PIBF1, to prevent or treat preterm birth," Dr. Chen said.
His research team has performed proof-of-concept and efficacy studies in animal models, and with the help of the Wayne State University Technology Commercialization Office, filed a patent for this potential therapeutic approach.
"It is truly remarkable that Kang has independently convened and led a team of outstanding scientists to accomplish this original and impressive tour de force, especially considering the many challenges he has encountered in the process," said Dr. Chen's collaborators, which included scientists and clinicians from Wayne State University, Beaumont Dearborn Hospital, Yale University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The lead authors are Wayne State postdoctoral fellows Bihui Huang and Azure Faucette, who have both assumed independent position in academia. You can read the article here.
The study was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (AI 95776 Young Investigator Award), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative and the Office of the Vice President for Research.