Scientists have identified and discovered a treatment for an important genetic condition that causes pregnancy loss and birth defects, at least in mice.
This gene is found on the X chromosome and can cause stillbirth if its activity is suppressed. This gene is passed from the ovum to the next generation and a protein associated with DNA plays an important role in this. On the other hand, it also plays a significant role in the development of the child.
This was revealed in the metabolic epigenetics laboratory associated with Japan's famous Ryken Center. According to Azusa Inoue, the head of the research, this research will allow us to understand the problems of childlessness and child development in a new way.
This gene consists of a non-coding RNA found on one chromosome and is named Xist. We know that when two types of chromosomes come together in a normal way, pregnancy occurs, they form pairs of XY and XX chromosomes.
Thus, only one of the pairs of sex chromosomes of the mother and the father cross over, so sometimes the male gene and sometimes the female gene dominates. This also determines the gender of the child. Scientists have seen genetic activity in mice that causes babies in particular to die or be stillborn. On the other hand, the amniotic sac of the female is also observed to be abnormally enlarged. Then it is also known that in this process the activity of Xist that comes from the substance is stopped.
Then the experts alternately inactivated or deleted several genes to see what the effects were. Now, as soon as Xist was restored, abortions stopped in the mice, and it was found that if the gene was kept active, the tendency to lose pregnancies was reduced. Under normal conditions, this has been termed defective imprinting of Xist.
However, it is too early to say anything about its application to humans, but human drugs are first given to rats and rats have been our best friends and assistants in medical research.