A recent scientific study by researchers at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH and RC) has uncovered the crucial role a protein known as phospholipase C zeta (PLC?) plays in the normal development of embryos during the early stages of pregnancy.
According to a press release issued today by KFSH and RC, the study demonstrated that the gene expression of this protein is essential for successful embryo implantation in the uterus, and PLC? deficiencies can lead to implantation failure and infertility. This significant discovery highlights the importance of PLC? in the development and enhancement of future fertility treatments.
During the study, according to the release, the research team examined the levels of PLC? protein in the sperm of 54 patients undergoing fertility treatment. The findings revealed a correlation between high levels of this protein and normal embryo formation, positively influencing the chances of successful pregnancy.
To gain a broader understanding of the functio
n of the gene responsible for producing the PLC? protein in the body, KFSH and RC researchers created the first genetically engineered mice in the Kingdom using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology. This precise gene modification allowed the team to observe that mice lacking the PLC? protein exhibited an increase in the rate of polyspermy, leading to early embryo development failure and consequently fewer births compared to mice with normal protein levels.
Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples worldwide; the figure highlights the critical need for advanced fertility research.
The findings from this study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Reproduction, pave the way for the development of new therapeutic interventions to treat infertility, according to the release.
The study is the result of the collaborative effort of the Comparative Medicine Department, the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, the IVF Laboratory at the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at KFSH an
d RC, Alfaisal University, and Khalifa University in the UAE, with support from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; it is part of the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Plan (NSTIP).
KFSH and RC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa, and 20th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year; it is recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Also in 2024, it was ranked among the world’s best 250 hospitals by Newsweek magazine.
Source: Saudi Press Agency