Yet another medical breakthrough

Steve the Pocket · Postby **Steve the Pocket** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:23 pm

GhostWay posted this on another forum and I figured it was worth mentioning since it's pretty big news. <a href='http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,1 ... 32,00.html' target='_blank'>link</a>  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> 'Editing' technique can rewrite genes Hope of cure offered to many with inherited diseases David Adam, science correspondent Monday April 4, 2005 The Guardian Scientists at a company in California have developed a potentially revolutionary technique to permanently rewrite any gene in the human body. The breakthrough brings hope to millions of people with genetic diseases such as sickle-cell anaemia - but campaigners have warned that the technology, called gene editing, could be abused by parents who want to alter the physical characteristics of their children after they are born. The scientists, at Sangamo Biosciences, have used the technique to correct mistakes in a gene that causes a rare genetic disease called X-linked severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) - so-called bubble boy disease. Sufferers never develop a fully working immune system and usually die within 18 months of birth. Edward Lanphier, the president of Sangamo, said: "We can target any gene we want, go into human cells and correct mistakes. These results highlight the potential for gene correction therapy for human monogenic disorders, those diseases caused by mutation of a single gene." The first applications were likely to be for blood diseases, Dr Lanphier said. The technique can also target and destroy genes. Clinical trials of its ability to stop the HIV virus infecting immune system cells will start in humans next year. Gene editing exploits the body's natural ability to repair broken strands of DNA, the blueprint cells use to churn out thousands of proteins. The scientists combined a molecule called a zinc finger protein, which can identify and bind to a specified gene, with an enzyme that can cut DNA. The protein effectively delivers the enzyme to its target, just in front of the gene the scientists want to cut out. The scientists fool the cell into using their chosen gene in repairing the cut DNA strands, rather than a new version of the faulty one, by supplying a DNA template for it to copy. Sir Aaron Klug, the Nobel prize-winning scientist who discovered zinc finger proteins, said: "For years scienists have been searching for a way to modify, or edit, the genome of plants and animals in a precise and predictable fashion. "This work is therefore truly a landmark study that provides the foundation for gene modification without the safety issues that have plagued many traditional gene therapy applications." Conventional gene therapy inserts a correct version of a faulty gene into a patient's DNA. It is difficult to control and has resulted in several high-profile deaths. In laboratory tests, the gene editing technique successfully replaced the faulty X-linked SCID gene with a working version in 18% of human cells. According to Sangamo, this could be enough to cure some SCID patients. The results appear today in the online version of the journal Nature. Dr Lanphier admitted the technique could target and change genes not involved in disease, such as those that control eye and hair colour. "The technology is very flexible and does lend itself to those sorts of questions," he said. "But I think the reality is that ... the people who apply it will do so for medical reasons." Sue Mayer, of the group Genewatch UK, called for regulation to stop gene editing being used for "trivial" changes. "We sometimes overstate how many people would want to use it for that, but unless there are safeguards in place the temptation will always be there," she said.</td></tr></table>

Joe3210 · Postby **Joe3210** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:19 pm

And in seventy-five years we would be able to see people walking down the street with real tails. So I hope.

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:04 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Octan @ Apr 6 2005, 12:23 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> but campaigners have warned that the technology, called gene editing, could be abused by parents who want to alter the physical characteristics of their children after they are born.  </td></tr></table>  It's not a matter of "could be abused", it's a matter of "will be abused". Despite that, however, this is quite a scientific and medical breakthrough

Gizensha · Postby **Gizensha** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:15 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Zaaphod @ Apr 7 2005, 01:04 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'>  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Octan @ Apr 6 2005, 12:23 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> but campaigners have warned that the technology, called gene editing, could be abused by parents who want to alter the physical characteristics of their children after they are born. </td></tr></table>  It's not a matter of "could be abused", it's a matter of "will be abused". Despite that, however, this is quite a scientific and medical breakthrough  </td></tr></table>  If I'm right in assuming that this can be applied at any stage in life (which is potentially false), would it really be that big a deal if people used it for cosmetic purposes, like they use plastic surgery for? It's the prospect of the rich enhancing their children genetically, such as increased intelect and strenth that I'm concerned about more than the cosmetic surgery implications, which I'd be tempted to make use of myself (the same way that Joe seems to hope this technique would be used, aheh)

Richard K Niner · Postby **Richard K Niner** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:53 am

Keep in mind, of course, that the chances of such a technique successfully causing cosmetic changes is inversely proportional to one's age.

Gizensha · Postby **Gizensha** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 2:56 pm

Technically speaking, I'm a science fantasy writer as a hobby. I don't worry about that sort of thing <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:25 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Gizensha @ Apr 6 2005, 11:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> If I'm right in assuming that this can be applied at any stage in life (which is potentially false), would it really be that big a deal if people used it for cosmetic purposes, like they use plastic surgery for? It's the prospect of the rich enhancing their children genetically, such as increased intelect and strenth that I'm concerned about more than the cosmetic surgery implications, which I'd be tempted to make use of myself (the same way that Joe seems to hope this technique would be used, aheh)  </td></tr></table>  It's not the cosmetic surgery that concerns me either (although I'm no fan of unnecessary cosmetic surgery). Like you, I'm more concerned about people genetically altering their children. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if someone actually tries such a thing (I'm sure someone will, but that's just me being totally cynical).

Steve the Pocket · Postby **Steve the Pocket** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:18 pm

Personally I think using it to enhance one's physical or mental abilities is just plain wrong. Like using steroids. They ought to make sure there are laws in place that would prevent something like that by the time the technology goes mainstream. But I'm wondering... couldn't this also be used to cure cancer? Because cancer cells are just human organ/tissue cells that mutated, aren't they?

Gizensha · Postby **Gizensha** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 8:43 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Octan @ Apr 10 2005, 07:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Personally I think using it to enhance one's physical or mental abilities is just plain wrong. Like using steroids. They ought to make sure there are laws in place that would prevent something like that by the time the technology goes mainstream. But I'm wondering... couldn't this also be used to cure cancer? Because cancer cells are just human organ/tissue cells that mutated, aren't they?  </td></tr></table>  Steroids aren't illegal. Just frowned upon in athletic circles. As for cancer - well, they discovered the gene that causes a high chance of cancer... And named it 'pokemon', because they're weird.

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:58 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Gizensha @ Apr 10 2005, 01:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Steroids aren't illegal. Just frowned upon in athletic circles.  </td></tr></table>  Actually, in the United States the use of steroids is illegal unless you have a valid prescription.

Steve the Pocket · Postby **Steve the Pocket** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 3:02 pm

Aha! I didn't think they were. But in that case, yeah, they should definitely have legal restrictions on this new procedure.

ShadOtterdan · Postby **ShadOtterdan** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:06 am

Although what might end up happening though, is what if it becomes so easy that just about every man woman and child can get it done, even in third world countries. On one hand, a world filled with intelligent people sounds great, but on the other hand, there is a great chance of damage to the gene pool by doing this.

Tavis · Postby **Tavis** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:55 pm

One of my concerns about this is related to disease control. Biodiversity has one benefit over a homogeneous collective; it is quite easy for a single pathogen to wipe out an entire species that has one identical feature that can be exploited, but when a population has relatively little in common, such an attack can only harm a smaller fraction. This can be easily seen in farms and ranches, where crops and herds are devestated by insects or disease, and in computer technology, where a virus can easily propogate itself through the Internet with similarly unprotected computers.

Muninn · Postby **Muninn** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 4:12 pm

How possible is it if this becomes commonplace and mistakes occur while the operation?

Henohenomoheji · Postby **Henohenomoheji** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:14 pm

TEAMWORK!!!

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Yet another medical breakthrough

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