Can we protect two babes with one shot?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Neither early nor late, we want childbirth right on time. But nature has other ideas.
Like pre-eclampsia. It limits blood flow to the placenta, giving mom high blood pressure. This slows the baby’s growth, leading to early deliveries. How can we stop it?
Enter Kelsey Swingle and team at the University of Pennsylvania. They created tiny nanoparticles that carry messenger R-N-A straight to the placenta. These genetic instructions help the placenta to repair itself, restoring HEALTHY blood flow.
And? In pregnant mice, this therapy reduces blood pressure and improves fetal growth. Researchers believe this m-R-N-A delivery system could improve pregnancy care!
And that’s one delivery service fit for mom’s own special delivery!
Reference: Swingle, K.L., Hamilton, A.G., Safford, H.C. et al. Placenta-tropic VEGF mRNA lipid nanoparticles ameliorate murine pre-eclampsia. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08291-2