Blocking the formation of new blood vessels in female mice can disrupt their breeding cycles, including their ability to become pregnant. The discovery, published in the April issue of Nature Medicine , can lead to a new approach for the treatment of endometriosis, uterine tumors, and other diseases among women.
formation of blood vessels, or angiogenesis, is already a prime target for potential anticancer drugs currently in clinical trials. But when these compounds are designed to block the growth of vessels in tumors, they can also prevent formation of new blood vessels in normal tissues during healing, menstruation, and pregnancy.
Robert D'Amato, medical researcher at Children's Hospital Boston, wondered if he could exploit this side effect of fertility control potential. He and his colleagues injected pregnant mice with newly AGM-1470, a compound present in cancer trials. They found that the chemical affected the development of the placenta and yolk sac, that supply blood and nutrients to the embryo. The embryos were unable to develop properly and have all been reabsorbed by the body mothers.
To see if AGM-1470 may prevent pregnancy, the researchers injected pregnant female mice with the compound daily for 16 days. Treatment prevented the thickening of the normal and endometrial maturation - the wall of the uterus. - And stunted growth of the corpus luteum, a mass of producing hormones that forms in the ovary during each estrus
experts are excited about the implications of the study for people. "It's so simple, but using this approach alone, you may be able to target a number of disease states," said Robert Barbieri, gynecologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. For example, he said , angiogenesis-blocker could stop the growth of uterine fibroids - benign tumors of the uterine lining - and the development of endometriosis, a painful and refractory condition in which endometrial cells grow outside the uterus. further along the road, D'Amato said, drugs that block angiogenesis may even be candidates for a new female contraceptive.
0 Komentar