Down’s syndrome ‘may be treatable in the womb’

Down’s syndrome in humans is caused in children who inherit an extra copy of one of the body’s chromosomes – bundles of genetic material which help control how people develop and live.

In fact, in their study, the researchers at National Institutes of Health in Maryland injected the proteins – NAP and SAL – into mice pregnant with trisomic pups in the middle of their pregnancy.

When the pups were born, they reached developmental milestones such as grasping a rod, righting themselves and responding to tactile stimulation at the same time as normal mice, the study revealed.

“We were able to prevent a significant amount of the delay,” the ‘New Scientist’ quoted lead researcher Catherine Spong as saying.

Moreover, the brains of the treated mice showed normal levels of ADNP – one of the regulatory proteins under-produced by Down’s-affected glial cells – and of another compound that is a marker for healthy glial cells.

Both findings indicate that some effects of Down’s had been removed, according to the researchers.