Grant: Operating Grant

It has been estimated that over 10% of all pregnancies exhibit some form of complication. One of the most common and dangerous is preterm delivery. A child that is born prematurely may suffer severe consequences which may lead to death of the child. Furthermore, mothers that give birth to a child prematurely often have high blood pressure and kidney problems, a condition known as preeclampsia. Severe preeclampsia can potentially lead to death if not detected at an early stage. Why certain women are at high risk of preterm birth and preeclampsia is poorly understood and multiple causes have been associated with these complications. Our lab has been looking at the function of a protein called Nodal that is expressed in the uterus during pregnancy. We have eliminated this protein in mice and found that in the absence of Nodal, the mothers have preterm birth and preeclampsia. Our studies have also shown that Nodal is affected in families that suffer from early onset of preeclampsia demonstrating a role for this protein in humans. In this proposal, we will study the effect of removing Nodal in the uterus of mice to understand its role in preterm birth. Understanding the function of Nodal will allow us to further understand the causes of preterm birth and preeclampsia and eventually give us tools to detect and potentially improve treatments in women experiencing preeclampsia and at high risk of preterm birth.