MED12 Gene Mutation Linked Uterine Fibroids, Study By Lauri Aaltonen

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Uterine Fibroids are the major cause of infertility among women

An article posted in US News states that research shows that there presence of specific mutations in the genetic profile of uterine fibroids patients, the most common noncancerous tumors in women of childbearing age. It can occur in 60 percent of women by the age 45.

Uterine fibroids can cause abnormal bleeding, abdominal pain and discomfort. Fibroids are also a major cause of infertility and the most common reason for hysterectomy.

It is still not known that what causes uterine fibroids and how it can be developed? To know the cause of uterine fibroids a study was conducted by the researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland on the genetics of 18 fibroid tumors which resulted that

70 percent of them had specific mutations in a gene called MED12.
MED12 protein helps in regulation of general “gene transcription.”
MED12′s function is disrupted in a specific way in most fibroid tumors.

The above study was published in the online edition of the journal Science on August 25, 2011.

The finding of this study suggests that it may be possible to develop targeted therapies, but that’s likely to take a long time, the study authors said.

The research team leader Lauri Aaltonen said in a university news release that this study is a very big step towards knowing the cause of uterine fibroids but a very early step towards design of targeted therapies.

Listed below are some clinical trials investigating new treatments for uterine fibroids