Revealed: Scientists ‘edit’ DNA to correct adult genes and cure diseases

Things could get real interesting. Here's more:

A genetic disease has been cured in living, adult animals for the first time using a revolutionary genome-editing technique that can make the smallest changes to the vast database of the DNA molecule with pinpoint accuracy.

Scientists have used the genome-editing technology to cure adult laboratory mice of an inherited liver disease by correcting a single “letter” of the genetic alphabet which had been mutated in a vital gene involved in liver metabolism.

A similar mutation in the same gene causes the equivalent inherited liver disease in humans – and the successful repair of the genetic defect in laboratory mice raises hopes that the first clinical trials on patients could begin within a few years, scientists said.

www.independent.co.uk...

This is great news and hopefully this comes to market for everyone and not just those who have connections or money. There's the global warming overpopulation crowd that will not like this. People getting cured of diseases means people living longer.

Like I said I hope this works but I've always felt prevention of diseases is such big business will this make it to market anytime soon. When I say soon, I mean the next 10 to 15 years. You have to think, if there was a cure for one thing like diabetes, imagine the money that would be wiped out. No more insulin, pills, eye doctor, amputations long hospital stays and more.

Cool. There is also a similar process called RNA interference that I've been keeping an eye on for a while now. Combine that with this and soon we will be able to cure anything without the need for drugs.

Years ago there was revolutionary new biotechnology involving using shelled out retro-viruses which would be used to replace genes with a beneficial outcome. This would be used for a variety of things like a cure for cancer and AIDS.
We don't hear much about this anymore. I wonder if this program will have the same outcome.

Correct a letter on a gene and we grow a tail. That isn't a side effect though, tails don't grow on our side so they don't have to list it as a possible side effect.

a reply to: neoholographic

What will be interesting is when DNA manipulation produces children that look a particular way or for example the planet decides homsexuality isn't necessary since it is not a choice but decided at birth. Some would say it's defect some not, but it will be interesting to see what families decide in private. Could there be a list of checkboxes asking for everything from red hair to skin color? Can I order girls instead of boys, Einstein's or athletes? Wow the thought of the problems this could produce and the problems this could eliminate. Very interesting to say the least.

Won't it be interesting to see how governments regulate DNA manipulation. Surely an executive order would be written saying we have had enough Pamela Andersons this year. Would 180 IQ's be the norm? No need for Obama Care for sure.

didnt they just discover a second code in dna recently?
so if t hey make a change on one level what happens to the other level?
could curing a disease at one level create another at the second level?
also since there's a second code, could that mean there mite be a third or more?
by curing one thing could the F-up a whole lot more?

maybe create x-men,(tho i doubt the abilities they would have would be as cool) zomebies, vampires or even "insert nightmare creature of your choice here"??

second code

a reply to: neoholographic

Like I said I hope this works but I've always felt prevention of diseases is such big business will this make it to market anytime soon. When I say soon, I mean the next 10 to 15 years. You have to think, if there was a cure for one thing like diabetes, imagine the money that would be wiped out. No more insulin, pills, eye doctor, amputations long hospital stays and more.

Did you accidentally leave a couple of words out of that first sentence?

The rest makes me think you did, because big pharma would face gigantic losses of profit--with their pills for nearly everything major or minor thing that may ail one.

Unless somehow the pharmaceutical companies hijack this sort of treatment (gene-editing) and like you referred to charge exorbitant prices for it to cover their losses from the pill, serum, and "keep coming back for more the rest of your life" schemes they have a strangle hold on now.
Otherwise I have fears that they might try to suppress it with their large coffers and D.C. influence.

As new tech prices DO lower over time, I am skeptical (though not discounting and hoping not) that these treatments that could mean life or death and huge savings for the consumer-patient may stay at high cost. Even after that 10-15 year timeframe you mentioned.

Cool story and glad you posted it.

I wonder if gene manipulation will be able to cure autoimmune diseases one day?? I hope so. But I guess we have to figure out what causes them first. *sigh* Probably not in my lifetime ...

originally posted by: Gear
Years ago there was revolutionary new biotechnology involving using shelled out retro-viruses which would be used to replace genes with a beneficial outcome. This would be used for a variety of things like a cure for cancer and AIDS.
We don't hear much about this anymore. I wonder if this program will have the same outcome.

I think that's RNA interference. The problem is that it requires turning on/off one gene at a time to see how it reacts and that will take years, but they are getting there.

www.nature.com...

a reply to: Sharted

A little different there. The current application of RNA interference is the use of a process to effectively silence or shut down undesirable, faulty, mutant or disease causing genes.
What I referred to is called Gene Therapy, which uses in invasive virus to actively replace the gene in question.

Change a letter here or there sounds great! But what happens if the science produces a terrifying plague due to a cascade of change in the rest? Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be without first exploring all of the consequences.

a reply to: Cynic
It's not like someone discovered this and is now advocating full scale implementation. As with any scientific advancements it will be thoroughly scrutinized before any attempt on a human project commences. Besides, the long term benefits of studies like this far outweigh not doing anything at all because some people might think it's bad.

IF there was a GOD
WE wouldnt be able
to play one...

originally posted by: Gear
a reply to: Cynic
It's not like someone discovered this and is now advocating full scale implementation. As with any scientific advancements it will be thoroughly scrutinized before any attempt on a human project commences. Besides, the long term benefits of studies like this far outweigh not doing anything at all because some people might think it's bad.

I see.
Thoroughly scrutinized.
Just like AGW.
Case closed.

The EU criminal intelligence services manipulate the DNA of people to attempt to make them dumber, fatter, slower in reaction, or any kind of genetical manipulation against internal political opponents who have the strength and capabilities to bring the current Euro-Technocracy to its knees in front of reality!

a reply to: Flanker86

I wouldn't trust these 'cures' at all. The elites are too interested in exterminating half of the planet with their bad water/food/drugs etc etc etc.

Pretty much all of this crap is Owned by 'Them' now. And we all know what 'They' think of Us.

So does this means it can cure cancer?

a reply to: neoholographic

I don't see this working like they hope. Most genes are regulated by networks of other genes. Mess with one, and you can affect one more others. The interactions are incredibly complex and in some ways unpredictable once the environment (intracellular, extracellular) gets involved.

These types of technologies seem more for hype (for funding) than substance, to me. We really don't fully know how the genome works to be able to start editing things. It's the people investing in this research who are going to get hosed, and perhaps the poor sap who tries this and suffers a not so great side effect from a gene getting edited the wrong way, or worse, a gene that should not have been edited at all...

I'll pass on changes to my DNA being made "with pinpoint accuracy".