SOMETIMES fetuses take matters into their own hands: a gene seems to have evolved that protects an unborn child from its mother’s malaria.
Many genes confer resistance to infections, but this is the first to work in utero, says of the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute in Washington. Identifying new forms of disease resistance could be key to developing treatments.
Many people in tropical regions are infected with malaria but resistant to its effects. However, if infected blood cells enter a pregnant woman’s placenta, the inflammation can result in a baby with low birthweight or a stillbirth.
Duffy’s team…
