Hi!!! How are you all. Today we'll look into how cancer therapy is developing via gene editing.
Here we go!!! Let's dive in:
Since the discovery that changes in DNA can cause cancer, scientists have been working tirelessly to find an efficient method to correct these changes through DNA manipulation. Despite the development of various gene-editing techniques over the years, none has wholly met the criteria of being quick, easy, and cost-effective.
as we talked about in our blog no. 2 about how CRISPR works I'll add a picture for an idea:
CRISPR consists of a guide RNA (RNA-targeting device, purple) and the Cas enzyme (blue). When the guide RNA matches up with the target DNA (orange), Cas cuts the DNA. A new segment of DNA (green) can then be added.
Credit: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health
However, a significant breakthrough occurred in 2013 when researchers demonstrated that the CRISPR gene-editing tool could efficiently alter the DNA of human cells, functioning like a precise and user-friendly pair of scissors.
This revolutionary tool has ushered in a new era in research, expanding the realm of what was once deemed impossible. With CRISPR becoming readily available in labs worldwide, cancer researchers eagerly embraced this opportunity to utilize it in their work. Now CRISPR is moving out of lab dishes and into trials of people with cancer.
Why Is CRISPR a Big Deal?
Scientists consider CRISPR to be a game-changer for several reasons. Perhaps the biggest is that CRISPR is easy to use, especially compared with an older gene-editing tool
"Now, even a high school student can make a change in a complex genome" using CRISPR - Alejandro Chavez, M.D., Ph.D.
But there are a few limitations as well with CRISPR
With all of its advantages over other gene-editing tools, CRISPR has become a go-to for scientists studying cancer. There’s also hope that it will have a place in treating cancer, too. But CRISPR isn’t perfect, and its downsides have made many scientists cautious about its use in people.
One major pitfall is that CRISPR sometimes cuts DNA outside of the target gene—what’s known as “off-target” editing. Scientists are worried that such unintended edits could be harmful and could even turn cells cancerous. However, scientists have been making improvements to CRISPR's ability to cut only the intended target by tweaking the structures of Cas and the guide RNA.
Another potential roadblock is getting CRISPR components into cells. The most common way to do this is to co-opt a virus to do the job. Instead of ferrying genes that cause disease, the virus is modified to carry genes for the guide RNA and Cas.
Researchers are exploring different ways to fine-tune the delivery of CRISPR to specific organs or cells in the human body. Some are testing viruses that infect only one organ, like the liver or brain. Others have created tiny structures called nanocapsules that are designed to deliver CRISPR components to specific cells. Because CRISPR is just beginning to be tested in humans, there are also concerns about how the body—in particular, the immune system—will react to viruses carrying CRISPR or to the CRISPR components themselves.
Some wonder whether the immune system could attack Cas (a bacterial enzyme that is foreign to human bodies) and destroy CRISPR-edited cells. Twenty years ago, a patient died after his immune system launched a massive attack against the viruses carrying a gene therapy he had received. However, newer CRISPR-based approaches rely on viruses that appear to be safer than those used for older gene therapies.
Another major concern is that editing cells inside the body could accidentally make changes to sperm or egg cells that can be passed on to future generations. But for almost all ongoing human studies involving CRISPR, patients’ cells are removed and edited outside of their bodies. This “ex vivo” approach is considered safer because it is more controlled than trying to edit cells inside the body, Dr Chavez said.
Well, the small conclusion would be ;
As CRISPR research progresses into human trials, there are valid concerns about how the body, especially the immune system, will respond to viruses carrying CRISPR or to the CRISPR components themselves. There is also ongoing discussion regarding the possibility of unintentional genetic changes being passed on to future generations. It's important to note that current human studies involving CRISPR are employing a cautious approach by removing and editing patients' cells outside of their bodies, which is considered a prudent and well-controlled method.
Next, we'll see how its first trial went !!!! Stay tuned
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