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The first two people by being subject to genome editing –two twin babies– they received a mutation that reduces your life expectancy, says an investigation.
Professor He jiankui shocked the world when he genetically modified the twins in a try to protect them from HIV
But a study published in Nature Medicine indicates that people who manifest naturally this mutation that the biophysicist was trying to reproduce is more prone to die young.
The experts described their actions as "very dangerous" and "stupid".
What was Professor He trying to achieve?
Professor He, a biophysics researcher and professor at Southern Science and Technology University in Shenzhen, China, manipulated the CCR5 gene.
It contains a series of genetic instructions that play an important role in the functioning of the immune system.
However, they are also the point of entry that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) uses to infect cells.
CCR5 mutations essentially block this entry and give the patient resistance to HIV.
Professor He therefore created embryos in an in vitro fertilization clinic and applied genetic engineering technology to modify the CCR5 gene.
The girls from this experience – known as Lulu and Nana – were born last year.
What does this have to do with life expectancy?
The problem is that CCR5 plays a bigger role in the body than simply making people vulnerable to HIV.
It is active in the brain and in the fight against other infections, especially influenza.
The study carried out in University of California at Berkeley, has examined nearly 410,000 people in the UK.
He showed that those who only had the mutated version of CCR5 were 20% more likely to die before age 78.
"In that case, it's probably a mutation that most people would not want to havesaid UC Berkeley's Professor Rasmus Nielsen.
"In fact, on average, you are worse at having it."
Researcher Xinzhu Wei said the genomic modification technology called CRISPR was still too risky to use with children.
What does this mean for twins?
The implications for Lulu and Nana are not very clear.
"It's impossible to predict if the mutations made to the twins will have an effect," said Professor Robin Lowell, insignia of the Francis Crick Institute.
All people who had the natural mutation in the study died young, although they are more likely.
In addition, life expectancy depends on a complex mix of the DNA with which you were born and the world in which you live.
To further complicate matters, Professor He mutated CCR5 in the same way, instead of being identical, the way people resist HIV.
According to Professor Lovell-Badge, the study "proves once again that He Jiankui was stupid in choosing to mutate the CCR5."
What was the reaction to what Professor He did?
There was a universal condemnation of scientists when he made the announcement in November.
Some described the experience as "monstrous".
And he was criticized for doing experiments while the risks were not obvious for some healthy children and against the law in China.
As well there was outrage because HIV can be treated and the HIV-positive father was unlikely to spread the disease to girls.
The Chinese authorities have investigated and concluded that Professor He had acted illegally for "fame and fortune".
Professor He has consistently defended his experiences and, at a summit in Hong Kong, said he was "proud" of his genome editing work.
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