Twins with altered DNA still at risk of contracting HIV

The twins whose DNA was modified as part of a controversial initiative in China aimed at making them resistant to HIV infection could still contract the virus that causes AIDS. Some relatively rare strains of HIV could enter your cells if the girls came into contact with contaminated tissues or fluids, she said. Robin Shattock, President of the Division of Mucosal Infections and Immunity of Imperial College London in the United Kingdom.

He Jiankui, the researcher who used a technique called Crispr to manipulate the DNA of twins while they were in the embryonic stage of development, faces criticism for exposing girls to risks that scientists are just beginning to understand. Other widely used prevention approaches would be more reliable and less risky than using an unproven technique to alter their genomes, explained Shattock.

"This is a totally ridiculous and useless approach" for the prevention of infections, said the expert during a telephone interview. "It's dubious ethical aspect." Crispr allows scientists to eliminate or replace specific genes in living organisms. Scientists have a good chance of tackling a number of DNA-related diseases, but scientists are looking into whether it affects the chances of suffering from cancer or cancer. other diseases. Many governments have restricted or banned their use in human embryos because altered traits can be pbaded on to future generations with unknown consequences..

Youtube video

He, University of Science and Technology South of Shenzhen City, China, announced its work on a video on YouTube and planned to present its data Wednesday at a conference in Hong Kong. The university said in a statement that she was "shocked" by the actions of Mr. He, the National Health Commission of China asked for an investigation, and a group of 122 Chinese scientists issued a joint statement in which he stated that the work was "madness".

"I understand that my work will be controversial, but I believe that families need this technology and I am willing to accept their criticisms," said the researcher in the video. Nearly 37 million people worldwide are living with HIV, according to the World Health Organization, although the infection rate in China is one of the lowest. He, who studied in the United States, said that the father of the girls was infected and that he wanted to protect them from HIV.

Parent-child transmission can be blocked by the proper use of antivirals, explained Shattock. A diet called PrEP can also prevent people at high risk of getting infected from being infected with other pathways. Daily antiviral treatment presents its own risksHe noted in another video. HIV remains incurable and kills about 1 million people a year, he added.