brittle bone disease will be cured in the womb

Eating less protein foods during pregnancy protects the bones of the unborn child, the study found. Thus, a woman reduces the risk of the baby dire disease called osteogenesis imperfecta.

Scientists from the University of Missouri have shown that restricting the level of a specific protein in the mother's body of pregnant mice suffering from osteogenesis imperfecta, children made their bones stronger. The disease, which is also often referred to as brittle bone disease, is a genetic disorder that greatly increases the risk of fractures. In severe cases, a short period in the life of the victim osteogenesis imperfecta pass through hundreds of fractures that ends with severe disability and early death. Obtained by American scientists results can be the basis for a new therapeutic approach to the treatment and prevention of this disorder.

It is proved that osteogenesis imperfecta is caused by the body's inability to make bones strong due to a mutation affecting the production of a protein called collagen. It has no reliable medical treatments for this disorder, but in previous studies have shown that the risk of disease and the severity of its symptoms can be reduced at the stage of prenatal human development.

It turned out that the lack of protein myostatin, which limits muscle growth in the body of pregnant mice with osteogenesis imperfecta led to the birth of offspring, having stronger bones. The study's authors believe that their work represents a new approach to the understanding and the search for possible treatments for severe disorders.