Exosome-based diagnostics: A Better Start For Baby’s Brain

Preterm babies/tamariki kokoti tau are particularly susceptible to brain injury resulting from oxygen deprivation in the womb or during the process of labour and birth. To improve better neurological outcomes for these babies early identification of those at risk of injury is required to allow prompt implementation of treatment strategies. Sadly, we lack the necessary biomarkers to aid early identification. However, during pregnancy, the unborn (fetal) baby's brain cells release small vesicles, called exosomes, which carry a signature of biological cargoes, including protein, that potentially could act as biomarkers of injury. Importantly, these exosomes released from the unborn baby's brain, can cross the placenta and enter mum's blood, where we can detect them.

This study, which has recently gained human and Māori research ethical committee approval, will investigate for the first time: whether we can identify exosome protein cargo that can effectively detect an injured unborn baby's brain from mum’s blood during pregnancy, and whether we can detect similar exosome protein cargo in umbilical cord blood at the time of birth that can indicate if the newborn baby has suffered brain injury