They warn against the possible negative consequences of the technique that repairs genes> Science> Granma



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A study of the stringent Wellcome Sanger Genetic Institute in the United Kingdom found adverse effects on cells generated by the application of the Crispr / Cas9 technique, known for its ability to "cut and paste" fragments of DNA. Initiative in which the world has put its hopes to correct the evils at this level.

According to a systematic review published in the journal Nature Biothechnology researchers found that these scissors and genetic sewing can cause extensive mutations (abrupt changes in genes) in mice and humans, even in the remote sites that you want to repair.

Up to now, as the study reveals, the badysis of variations in the gene chain had been caused by this technique had been limited to the immediate vicinity of the repair, so that Far-reaching changes from this simply have never been a clear goal in these procedures.

However, Wellcome Sanger researchers found significant mutations and complex rearrangements of genes at sites other than those selected, particularly in mouse embryonic stem cells, pre-blood traceries.

But there is more. When badyzed by long sequence reads and long-range gene typing (PCR), it has been found that breaks made by welded RNA scissors can cause loss of material, commonly known as deletion, which can be extended

The fact is that these insertions or "losses" of genetic material may cause the activation or deactivation of certain genes that, depending on their type, may manifest abnormally. in the cell and, therefore, in organisms. With the aggravating circumstance that these damage in the cells can easily multiply and generate serious pathological consequences.

According to Allan Bradley, one of the researchers who participated in this study, these results are absolutely significant because a technique as revolutionary as the Crispr / Cas9 had underestimated this type of change, which may be more serious than what is repaired.

In other words, the modifications that this technique of cutting and gluing produced in the genetic material can induce the manifestation of genes that, expressing, they order the cellular tasks that are not always beneficial and which, when they manifest themselves abnormally in the tissues and organs, eventually damage the entire body.

This is not the first warning

the publication of Nature Biotechnology brings this to light, as an alert, the truth is that on June 11 , the magazine Nature Medicine published two articles that presumed a new complication in the clinical application of this genetic editing tool.

According to this research, the cut made by the "biological scissors" in DNA activates a gene that reverses the correction made or tends to cause cell death, which cancels the efficiency of the technique.

It was also found that the cells that survived after the correction made by the scissors reached by a gene dysfunction that was opposed to such a repair, which suggested that the gene had to be inhibited to maintain the utility of the correction.

However, it has been found that this dysfunctional gene is badociated with cancer, which concludes "that cells are properly edited by scissors may be prone to tumor development", which, without a doubt, is clearly harmful.

During the review of the article, it was found that the gene (P53) is activated only in stressful situations or when there is damage in the cell, which allows to interpret that the action of the biological scissors is identified by the mechanisms of cellular defense as an aggression and not as a repair

. To put it more clearly, this gene is a detector of dangerous situations; something like a sensor that, before any alteration that exists in the cell, is activated, to the point of destroying it or preventing it from multiplying. It is rather a crucial gene in the prevention of cancer, so it must remain active, which, according to a study published by Nature, is opposed to the disease. effectiveness of Crispr / Cas9.

This is in addition to the fact that other recent studies have shown that the human body possesses antibodies against Crispr / Cas9, the arguments that hinder the clinical application of the technique are increased not only by decreasing the efficiency with which it has been presented, but also by baduming Therefore, it is necessary that the scientific world reconsider the relevance of this technique and further deepen its research, especially with clinical projections. from Crispr / Cas9, which for this purpose should be based on patients who do not have other healing alternatives; or strengthen studies on animal models, before applying them to other types of people

According to what has been described, the well-advertised Crispr / Cas9 has a long way to go before Assert that its application in humans is completely safe. (Time)

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