We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Circadian Rhythm Genes Are Biomarkers for Predicting Risk of Preterm Birth

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 17 Aug 2021
The CLOCK and CRY2 genes have been identified as useful biomarkers for predicting the likelihood that a pregnant woman will experience a preterm birth.
Previous studies have observed an association between maternal circadian rhythm disruption and preterm birth. More...
However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and the potential of circadian clock genes to serve as predictors of preterm birth remain unexplored.

Investigators at Michigan State University (East Lansing, USA) examined the association of 10 core circadian transcripts in maternal blood with spontaneous preterm births versus full term births using a nested case-control study design. For this study, maternal blood was sampled in trimesters two-three from women with spontaneous preterm births (n = 51) and full term births (n = 106), matched for five demographic variables.

Results revealed that in second trimester maternal blood, only CLOCK and CRY2 transcripts were significantly lower in spontaneous preterm births versus full term. In addition, the investigators identified 98 common pathways that were negatively or positively correlated with CLOCK and CRY2 expression.

CLOCK is a gene encoding a basic helix-loop-helix-PAS transcription factor that is believed to affect both the persistence and period of circadian rhythms. The CLOCK gene plays a major role as an activator of downstream elements in the pathway critical to the generation of circadian rhythms. In mammals, the proteins coded by the CRY1 and CRY2 genes act as light-independent inhibitors of CLOCK-BMAL1 components of the circadian clock.

“We were excited to discover lower mRNA levels in the CRY2 and CLOCK genes,” said senior author Dr. Hanne Hoffmann, assistant professor of animal science at Michigan State University. “Preterm births are common. If we know the mother is at risk for a preterm birth, her doctor can monitor her more closely. If we could measure women’s mRNA levels and tell them for their second or third pregnancies that they are not at risk for a preterm birth because their levels are higher (in a normal/healthy range), that would be such a comfort to the mothers who previously had a preterm birth. If I can help one baby make it to full term who was not supposed to, that would make my day.”

The preterm birth study was published in the June 18, 2021, online edition of the Journal Biology of Reproduction.

Related Links:

Michigan State University


Gold Member
Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile pHOx
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
New
Alcohol Testing Device
Dräger Alcotest 7000
New
8-Channel Pipette
SAPPHIRE 20–300 µL
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The nanotechnology-based liquid biopsy test could identify cancer at its early stages (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

2-Hour Cancer Blood Test to Transform Tumor Detection

Glioblastoma and other aggressive cancers remain difficult to control largely because tumors can recur after treatment. Current diagnostic methods, such as invasive biopsies or expensive liquid biopsies,... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: An adult fibrosarcoma case report has shown the importance of early diagnosis and targeted therapy (Photo courtesy of Sultana and Sailaja/Oncoscience)

Accurate Pathological Analysis Improves Treatment Outcomes for Adult Fibrosarcoma

Adult fibrosarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy that develops in connective tissue and often affects the limbs, trunk, or head and neck region. Diagnosis is complex because tumors can mimic... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.