A molecule identified by Montreal researchers could both reduce the number of premature births and protect the organs of the baby to be ravaged from inflammation.
Doctor Sylvain Chemtob, who is a researcher at the Azrieli research center in the Sainte-Justine CHU, and France on the side, who is a doctoral student at the University of Montreal, have thus developed a peptide which temporarily inhibits the undesirable effects of a protein which allows cells to communicate with each other.
“Premature children must face several complications,” said Doctor Chemtob. The best way to prevent a medical problem is to stop it before it starts. »»
The works are based on those of the biochemist Christiane Quiniou, who was the first to design peptides targeting the interleukin-6 receiver, a cytokine in particular involved in the trigger of premature births.
Doctor Chemtob and his team baptized their peptide HSJ633, in honor of the hospital where the research was carried out.
Conventional prematurity treatments aim to slow down uterine contractions. They are often not very specific and associated with side effects for the mother and the fetus.
“At the moment, there is nothing to offer to the mother whose work begins (prematurely),” admitted Doctor Chemtob. We have agents who inhibit uterine contractions, but it lasts about two days, and after that, we have babies who are honestly very sick. »»
On the other hand, it was assured by press release, the new molecule acts “directly on the utero-placental inflammation, the main trigger of premature delivery”. It would also be “easy to produce, stable and affordable”.
The effects of HSJ633 have been validated from mice simulating systemic inflammation. Administered before or after the triggering of childbirth, the peptide made it possible to extend the gestation of several days, while reducing lesions to vital organs such as the lungs and intestines of newborns.
“It stops the premature birth process and it stops in the fetus the inflammation process which generates harmful effects on its organs,” summed up Doctor Chemtob.
Even if we are still far from use in humans, we could consider one day to use the molecule with great prematureates, he added, that is those who are born after less than 30 weeks of gestation.
The molecule could also be offered to women whose membrane has broken, since there are about 50 % risk of seeing them give birth in the coming days, said Doctor Chemtob.
“If a woman has a break in membrane at twenty-two weeks, there is a very good chance that she will give birth,” he recalled. I think our HSJ633 molecule would be ideal for this kind of patient. »»
It is estimated that 15 million babies are born prematurely each year around the world.
The conclusions of this study were published by the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
