Question: Scientists recently used gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to treat blindness. The technique will impact upon?
(a) Eye lens
(b) Retina
(c) Iris
(d) DNA
Answer: (d)
Related facts:
- On March 4, 2020, scientists announced that they have used the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 inside a person’s body for the first time to treat Genetic Blindness.
- This new development, in efforts to operate on DNA to treat inherited form of blindness and other such diseases.
- A procedure regarding this has been done on a patient recently at the Casey Eye Institute at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland USA.
- The person, who undergone through this procedure, was suffering from an inherited form of blindness.
- Since it may take up to a month to see whether the procedure worked to restore vision, hence, details of the patients is not been disclosed. If this attempt comes out safe, it has planned to test this technique on 18 persons (children and adults).
- Editas Medicine, a Massachusetts-based company developing the treatment with Dublin-based Allergan.
Background:
- Doctors first tried in-the-body gene editing in 2017 for a different inherited disease using a tool known as zinc fingers.
- Now scientists are of the view that CRISPR is a much better tool for locating and cutting DNA at a specific spot, and interest in the new research is very high.
- The people in this study have Leber congenital amaurosis (eye disorder that primarily affects the retina), caused by a gene mutation that inhibit the body from making a protein needed to convert light into signals to the brain.
- Such persons often born with little vision and can lose even that within a few years.
Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/03/04/health/ap-us-med-genetic-frontiers-gene-editing-blindness.html
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/mar/04/doctors-use-gene-editing-tool-crispr-inside-body-for-first-time