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Manipulating Genes
Ways to Manipulate Genes
Gene Therapy.
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Gene therapy is a process in which single-gene disorders,like cystic
fibrosis can be cured by adding genetic materials into the cell, using a
vector, to counteract an abnormal or mutated gene.
Gene therapy is basically when a mutated gene is replaced with a healthy
gene.
Introducing this new gene in the body helps the body fight the disease.
Historical Summary
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1960s and 1970s is when gene therapy arose. (Mandal)
In 1972, Theodore Friedmann and Richard Roblin published a paper in
Science called "Gene therapy for human genetic disease?" ( Mandal)
The first trial for gene therapy A four-year old girl
She became first gene therapy patient on September 14, 1990 at the NIH
Clinical Center. She has adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency, a genetic
disease which leaves her defenseless against infections (Gene therapy
2009).
White blood cells were taken from her, and the normal genes for making
adenosine deaminase were inserted into them.
In 1989, the researchers teamed up with Dr. Steven Rosenberg to test how
safe and effective the gene therapy would be in cancer patients.(Mandal)
First Gene Therapy Trial
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A four-year old girl became the first gene therapy patient on September 14, 1990 at
the NIH Clinical Center.
She has adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency, a genetic disease which leaves her
defenseless against infections.
White blood cells were taken from her, and the normal genes for making adenosine
deaminase were inserted into them.
The corrected cells were reinjected into her
Present
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Group in China is being sued because people believe that they are using gene
therapy on people even though it is not a fully developed practice.
This is a therapy that is being developed still and is an experimental and
controversial therapy.
There are clinical trials but nothing freely open to the public.
Future
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Hoped to have it fully developed in the near future.
Want it to be useful to all cancer patients.
Less invasive surgeries needed
less painful for the patients
Relevance to Cellular Process
This new therapy relates to gene proteins and
replication. The therapy gives information to the cell
through vectors (usually a virus’), which then changes the
DNA. When mRNA is replicated from the DNA, it takes the new
information the vector gave it every time that the DNA is
replicated. The mRNA is then used to make proteins.
Ethical Implications
Pros
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used to treat genetic disorders, like Alzheimer,
Parkinson, and Huntington’s disease.
unlike medications, fixes problem not just symptoms.
replace defective genes
gene therapy could give someone another, better chance at
life.
This can help prevent invasive surgeries and procedures.
(This is something that can be used before surgeries)
Cons.
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could result in “designer babies”, giving fetus’ desired
traits. (taller, intelligence)
the fetus does not have a choice in what happens to their
bodies.
associated risks with procedure
high cost, not very affordable.
not enough testing, negative side effects.
some people believe these scientists are playing “God.”
Athletes
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When athletes use gene therapy to enhance their performance this is called “Gene
doping”
Scientists and sporting officials are already worried about the illicit use of this
highly experimental technology to increase athletes' performance, a process known as
gene doping (Schneider & Friedmann, 2006; Haisma & de Hon, 2006).
Worry that gene therapy techniques will be used on athletes to improve their
performance.
Gene doping in athletes is harder to detect than more common drugs that are used to
enhance performance.
Opinion Piece
In the matter of using this biotechnology to further the studies in how it can help treat or prevent diseases that may
have no other cure, this should be studied further. Doctors may be able to treat the disorders by inserting a gene into the
patient's cells instead of using drugs or surgery. Researchers are testing several approaches, one being replacing a
mutated gene that causes disease, with a healthy copy of the gene, or introducing a new gene into the body to help fight the
disease. This is the part of the practice that they should study more into. This and the screening of babies. Sure there is a
lot of controversy on the subject of such, cons being that parents could basically do selective breeding on their child. When
in reality, if a screening comes back positive of your child having a mutated gene, you would want to be able to manipulate
it into a healthy gene so that your child does not grow old with whatever disease their mutated gene gives them. Gene
manipulation, also known as genetic engineering is a phenomenon that is completely incompatible with mother nature, but
the domestication of plants and animals as well as our own mating choices are forms of genetic engineering. So with all the
conflict of people thinking that gene manipulation is all bad, and athletes only use it to gain status, the places that should be
studied more are the areas that help people with their health issues. Being able to go in and fight the disease is a big help
to those who have to live with the disease. Any research done to further this practice would be a large help in the medicinal
world.
References
Barton-Davis ER, Shoturma DI, Musaro A, Rosenthal N, Sweeney HL (1998) Viral mediated expression of insulin-like growth factor I blocks
the aging-related loss of skeletal muscle function. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95: 15603–15607 [PMC free article] [PubMed]
Haisma HJ, de Hon O (2006) Gene doping. Int J Sports Med 27: 257–266 [PubMed]
McPherron AC, Lawler AM, Lee SJ (1997) Regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice by a new TGF-beta superfamily member. Nature 387:
83–90 [PubMed]
Schneider AJ, Friedmann T (2006) Gene doping in sports: the science and ethics of genetically modified athletes. Adv Genet 51: 1–110
[PubMed]
Schuelke M, Wagner KR, Stolz LE, Hubner C, Riebel T, Komen W, Braun T, Tobin JF, Lee SJ (2004)Myostatin mutation associated with
gross muscle hypertrophy in a child. N Engl J Med 350: 2682–2688[PubMed]
WADA (2007) The 2007 Prohibited List. Montreal, Canada: World Anti-Doping Agency. www.wada-ama.org
"Gene Therapy." Human Genetics. N.p., 6 Apr. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <https://history.nih.gov/exhibits/genetics/index.htm>.
Mandal, Dr.Ananya. "gene therapy history." News medical. News medical net, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://www.news-medical.
net/health/Gene-Therapy-History.aspx>.
Scollay, Roland. "Gene therapy." Gene therapy pdf. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://individual.utoronto.ca/titanium/Gene_Therapy.
pdf>.
References
Hogarth, E. (1996). Aspects of Gene Therapy. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from https://www.ndsu.
edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/eric.htm
How Does Gene Therapy Work? (2015, November 23). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://ghr.nlm.nih.
gov/handbook/therapy/procedures
List of Pros and Cons for Gene Therapy. (2015, January 7). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://ghr.nlm.nih.
gov/handbook/therapy/procedures
Hogarth, E. (1996). Aspects of Gene Therapy. Retrieved November 30, 2015, from https://www.ndsu.
edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/eric.htm
What Is Gene Therapy? (2015). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/genetherapy/gtintro/
How does gene therapy work. (n.d.). Retrieved from Scientific American website:http://www.scientificamerican.
com/article/experts-gene-therapy/
How genetic engineers manipulate genes. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2015, from https://hubtechinsider.wordpress.
com/2010/04/11/how-genetic-engineers-manipulate-genes/