# Effect of Maternal Myostatin on Placental Support of Fetal Growth

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA · 2020 · $226,454

## Abstract

Summary:
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects 7-9% of pregnancies. It is associated with preterm
birth, still birth and multiple neonatal morbidities including neurological impairments,
hypoglycemia, and respiratory distress. Even as adults, infants born with IUGR have reduced
lean mass, and a propensity to metabolic disease. Preliminary data show that, in a mouse model,
fetuses born to mothers with reduced myostatin grow larger than genotype-matched fetuses
born to control mothers. Furthermore, as adults, they have larger muscles and greater bone
biomechanical strength. The goal of the current project is to elucidate the mechanism of this
effect. The overarching hypothesis is that myostatin inhibits nutrient delivery to the growing
fetus by reducing placental nutrient transport and structurally limiting the efficiency of the
maternal-fetal interface, thereby restricting fetal musculoskeletal growth. To test this, placental
glucose and amino acid transport, and maternal-fetal metabolomics will be compared between
myostatin-reduced and control dams. Second, placental histology will be examined in myostatin
deficient dams to determine whether myostatin reduction stimulates trophoblast invasion and
maternal-fetal blood space development. Successful completion of the project will show how
maternal myostatin reduction can promote placental efficiency and fetal growth.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9873197
- **Project number:** 1R21HD100726-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Laura Clamon SCHULZ
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $226,454
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-06-05 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9873197

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9873197, Effect of Maternal Myostatin on Placental Support of Fetal Growth (1R21HD100726-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9873197. Licensed CC0.

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