Safer gene therapy method

2002/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

Gene therapy has raised many expectations.

However, a simple and safe way to introduce the genes you want to use for therapy in the patient's DNA has not yet been found. The most widespread technique is the use of viruses as a carrier for the insertion of the gene into the DNA. This method, however, is not entirely safe, as they inject the gene anywhere in DNA and can trigger the activation of other genes with harmful effects.

Now, at the U.S. Standford University Medical Center, they have tried another gene therapy technique. In fact, they have copied the technique used by bacteria viruses (bacteriophages). Bacteriophages make a protein to put your gene in a specific place on the bacteria chromosome.

This protein is called integrase and researchers have found that in humans there are also these proteins. In addition, once introduced into human cells, along with the therapeutic gene, the gene encoding integrase, they have shown that it introduces it into human DNA. Mice have also been tested and the results have been satisfactory. See what this new path gives.