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HONG KONG (AP) – A Chinese researcher claims that he helped create the first genetically modified baby in the world – binoculars born this month of which he altered DNA with a new powerful tool, able to rewrite the model of life. 19659002] If that were true, it would be a big step forward in science and ethics.
An American scientist said that he had taken part in the work in China, but this type of genetic modification is banned in the United States as DNA changes may pbad. For future generations, this could harm other genes.
Many scientists think that it is too dangerous to try, and some have described the Chinese report of human experimentation.
The researcher, He Jiankui from Shenzhen, said he had modified embryos for seven years. couples during fertility treatments, with a pregnancy up to now. He stated that his goal was not to cure or prevent an inherited disease, but to try to confer a trait that characterizes few people naturally – an ability to withstand possible eventual HIV infection , the AIDS virus
. to be identified or interviewed, and he would not say where they live or where the work was done.
There is no independent confirmation of He's claim, and it was not published in a newspaper, where it would be carefully examined. experts. He revealed it Monday in Hong Kong to one of the organizers of an international conference on gene editing that is expected to begin Tuesday, and earlier in exclusive talks with The Associated Press. .
"I feel like a strong responsibility that it's not just make it a first, but make an example of it," he told AP. "The company will decide what to do next" in terms of permission or prohibition of such science.
Some scientists were stunned to learn this statement and strongly condemned it.
It is "unacceptable … an experiment on human beings that is neither ethically nor ethically defensible," said Dr. Kiran Musunuru, expert in gene editing at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of a journal of genetics.
"It's way too early," said Dr. Eric Topol, director of Scripps Research. California Institute of Translation. "We are talking about a user's manual. It's a big problem.
However, a recognized geneticist, George Church of Harvard University, defended any attempt to modify the gene for HIV, which he described as "a major and growing threat to public health." "
" I think this is justifiable, "Church said about this goal.
In recent years, scientists have discovered a relatively easy way of modifying genes, the DNA strands that govern the body. The tool, called CRISPR-cas9, allows to operate on the DNA to provide the necessary gene or to disable one that poses a problem,
There is no independent confirmation from the claim of He and it was not published in a newspaper where it would be examined by other experts. He revealed it Monday in Hong Kong to one of the organizers of an international conference on gene editing that is expected to begin Tuesday, and earlier in exclusive talks with The Associated Press. .
"I feel like a strong responsibility that it's not just make it a first, but make an example of it," he told AP. "The company will decide what to do next" in terms of permission or prohibition of such science.
Some scientists were stunned to learn this statement and strongly condemned it.
It is "unacceptable … an experiment on human beings that is neither ethically nor ethically defensible," said Dr. Kiran Musunuru, expert in gene editing at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of a journal of genetics.
"It's way too early," said Dr. Eric Topol, director of Scripps Research. California Institute of Translation. "We are talking about a user's manual. It's a big problem.
However, a recognized geneticist, George Church of Harvard University, defended any attempt to modify the gene for HIV, which he described as "a major and growing threat to public health." "
" I think this is justifiable, "Church said about this goal.
In recent years, scientists have discovered a relatively easy way of modifying genes, the DNA strands that govern the body. This tool, called CRISPR-cas9, allows you to operate on DNA to provide a necessary gene or to disable the one that causes problems.
All men in the project were HIV-positive and not all women, but the gene The editing is not intended to prevent the low risk of transmission, he said. Traditional HIV medications have profoundly inhibited fathers' infections and there are simple ways to prevent them from infecting offspring without altering genes.
Instead, the appeal was to offer couples with HIV a chance to have a child could be protected from a similar fate.
He recruited couples through a Beijing-based AIDS advocacy group called Baihualin. Its leader, known as "Bai Hua", told AP that it was not uncommon for people living with HIV to lose their jobs or find it difficult to get jobs. medical care if their infections were revealed.
Here is how he described the work: [19659002] Modification of the gene occurred during IVF or laboratory fertilization. First, sperm has been "washed" to separate it from sperm, the fluid where HIV can hide. A single sperm was placed in a single egg to create an embryo. Then the gene editing tool was added
When the embryos were 3 to 5 days old, some cells were removed and checked for editing. Couples can choose to use published or unedited embryos for their pregnancy attempts. In total, 16 out of 22 embryos were published and 11 embryos were used in six implant attempts before the twin's pregnancy, he added.
Tests suggest that one twin was altered at a time and both copies were altered. only one has been modified without evidence of damage to other genes, he said. Individuals with a copy of the gene can still contract HIV, although very limited research suggests that their health may degrade more slowly once it has occurred. the editing worked or to exclude any prejudice.
They also found evidence that the montage was incomplete and that at least one twin appeared to be a patchwork of cells with various changes.
"It's almost like not changing at all" According to Church,
Church and Musunuru questioned the decision to allow the use of one of the embryos during an attempt to pregnancy, because Chinese researchers said that they knew in
"In this child, there was practically nothing to gain in terms of protection against HIV and yet you are exposing this child to all
The use of this embryo suggests that the researchers "insisted primarily on testing the edition rather than avoiding this disease," said Church .
Even though editing worked perfectly, non-normal people The CCR5 genes are at a higher risk of contracting some other viruses, such as West Nile, and dying of the flu. Since there are many ways to prevent HIV infection and are very easy to treat, other medical risks are a concern, Musunuru said. He officially announced his work long after he declared it to begin – on Nov. 8, on a Chinese clinical trial registry.
It is unclear whether participants fully understood the purpose, risks and potential benefits. For example, consent forms referred to the project as an "AIDS vaccine development program".
The scientist Rice, Deem, said that he was present in China when potential participants gave their consent and that he thought "absolutely" that they could understand the
Deem said that he was working with He on the search for a vaccine at Rice and considered that gene editing was similar to a vaccine.
"It could be a secular way of describing it," he said.
Physics experts with no experience in conducting clinical trials on humans.
The Chinese scientist, He, stated that he had himself clearly stated the objectives and that he had explained to the participants that editing of embryo genes did not cause any problems. had never been attempted and entailed risks. He added that he would also provide insurance coverage to all children conceived under the project and provided for medical follow-up until the children were 18 years of age and over. " they accepted at adulthood.
Pregnancy attempts are pending until the safety of children. this one is badyzed and experts of the field intervene, but the participants were not warned in advance that they might not be able to try it. what they signed once for the first time, he acknowledged. Free fertility treatment was part of the deal that was offered to them.
He sought and obtained approval of his project from Shenzhen Harmonicare Hospital for Children and Women, which was not one of four hospitals which, despite being after He had provided embryos for her research or pregnancy.
Some employees of other hospitals were kept informed of the nature of the research, which he said was done to prevent disclosure of HIV infection by some participants.
is ethical, "said Lin Zhitong, a Harmonicare administrator who heads the ethics committee.
All medical staff handling samples likely to contain HIV were aware, he said, an embryologist from Hone Lab, Qin Jinzhou, confirmed to the PA that he had washed sperm and injected the genetic modification tool during some pregnancy attempts
The study participants are not ethicists, he said, but "are so many authorities on what is right and what is wrong because that is the case. is their life at stake. "
" I think it will help families and their children, "he said. If this causes undesirable side effects or detrimental effects, "I would feel the same pain as myself and that would be my own responsibility."
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