Rima Slim, PhD

Primary Axis: 
Human Reproduction and Development
Email: 
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Research Focus: 

The research activities of my group are aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for hydatidiform moles and reproductive wastage. Hydatidform mole is an aberrant human pregnancy with no embryo that has fascinated and puzzled scientists in all civilizations. The sporadic form of hydatidiform moles is common and occurs in 1 in every 1500 pregnancies in western countries, but at higher frequencies in other parts of the world. By analyzing rare familial cases of hydatidiform moles, we identified the first defective maternal gene, NLRP7, responsible for this condition. NLRP7 is a member of the CATERPILLER protein family with roles in inflammation and apoptosis.
Our current research activities are focused on (i) elucidating the exact role of NLRP7 in the patho-physiology of recurrent moles, (ii) investigating the potential role of NLRP7 or its inflammatory pathway in sporadic moles, and (iii) identifying a second gene for this condition and elucidating its function.

Keywords: 
Hydatidiform mole, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, NLRP7
Location: 
Montreal General Hospital
Publications:
Messaed C, Chebaro W, Brisset RDR, et al. NLRP7 in the Spectrum of Reproductive Wastage: Rare Non-synonymous Variants Confer Genetic Susceptibility for Recurrent Reproductive Wastage. J Med Genet, Aug; 48(8):540-548, 2011.
Qian J, Cheng Q, Murdoch S, Xu C, Jin F, Chebaro W, Zhang X, Gao H, Zhu Y, Slim R, Xie X. The Genetics of Recurrent Hydatidiform Moles in China: Correlations between NLRP7 Mutations, Molar Genotypes, and Reproductive Outcomes. Mol Hum Reprod 17(10):612-619, 2011.
Deveault C, Qian J, Chebaro W, Ao A, Gilbert L, Mehio A, Khan R, Tan SL, Wischmeijer A, Coullin P, Xie X, Slim R. NLRP7 mutations in women with diploid androgenetic and triploid moles: a proposed mechanism for mole formation. Hum Mol Genet 18(5):888-897, 2009.
Slim R, Coullin P, Diatta A-L, Chebaro W, Courtin D, Abdelhak S, Garcia A. NLRP7 and the Genetics of Postmolar Choriocarcinomas in Senegal. Mol Hum Reprod; doi: 10.1093/molehr/gar060; 2011.