mRNA Treatment to Induce Expression of Relaxin for Reproductive Applications in Animals and Humans
Description:
Background
Female cattle and other animals, including humans, sometimes have trouble delivering their young (dystocia) at the time they are due because of inadequate relaxation or size of the mother's reproductive tract. Such situations can lead to difficult deliveries that may be harmful to the mother or the offspring. They may also require surgery to deliver the offspring, which has risks as well. Production of the hormone relaxin by the mother's reproductive tissues helps with relaxation and delivery, however, some females do not produce adequate relaxin. Moreover, cattle in particular have lost the ability to produce relaxin naturally, but they can respond if they are given relaxin by an exogenous source.
Technology Overview
Researchers at Mississippi State University have shown that treatment of cells of the female reproductive tract of both cattle and humans with mRNA encoding relaxin can induce the cells to produce relaxin. Thus, it is possible that treatment of the reproductive tract of cattle, women, or other female individuals with mRNA encoding relaxin could ease delivery in cases where delivery of the offspring is impeded due to inadequate relaxation. The use of mRNA has the potential to lead to rapid, local, and sustained production of relaxin, which will likely be more effective than direct administration of the hormone, which can have short duration of effect.
Benefits
We expect this invention could be used to prevent difficult deliveries of offspring in female cattle and other mammals, including humans. The use of mRNA will provide better controlled and more localized production of relaxin than has been possible with efforts to date that rely on administration of the hormone.
Applications
This treatment has potential applications in both veterinary and human medicine.
IP Status
Patent application submitted
Seeking
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