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U.K. Parliament approves controversial three-parent mitochondrial gene therapy

Antares in NYC

Senior Member
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While this article is not specific to ME/CFS, I thought I would post it here given its implications on mitochondrial disease and similar genetic mutations, which seem to be at the core of many ME/CFS patients.

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/...rsial-three-parent-mitochondrial-gene-therapy

U.K. Parliament approves controversial three-parent mitochondrial gene therapy

The United Kingdom’s House of Commons voted overwhelmingly today to allow British researchers to pursue a new fertility treatment that could prevent certain kinds of genetic diseases. The technique, called mitochondrial DNA replacement therapy, could allow women who carry disease-causing mutations in their mitochondrial genes to give birth to genetically related children free of mitochondrial disease.

The measure, which passed 382 to 128, has been controversial, especially because it would alter the DNA of an embryo in a way that could be passed on to future generations. Some scientists and nongovernmental organizations have argued that not enough is known about possible side effects of the technique to go forward in human patients. “We believe the House of Commons has made a serious mistake, which we hope does not have dire consequences,” said Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society in Berkeley, California, in a statement.

Proponents of the measure quickly began to celebrate. “I am delighted that [members of Parliament] have voted to allow the introduction of mitochondrial transfer techniques into the clinic," said John Tooke, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences in London, in a statement. Robert Meadowcroft, head of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign in London, added: “We have finally reached a milestone in giving women an invaluable choice, the choice to become a mother without fear of passing on a lifetime under the shadow of mitochondrial disease to their child."

Mitochondria are the energy-producing engines of a cell. These organelles contain their own set of genes, called mtDNA. When mitochondria don’t work properly, a variety of symptoms can result, which can make mitochondrial diseases difficult to recognize and diagnose. Some babies born with defective mitochondria die within months. Other people don’t show any symptoms until much later in life.

Researchers have developed ways to transfer the genetic material from an egg cell that carries faulty mitochondria into a donor egg that has healthy mitochondria. The resulting embryo carries nuclear DNA from the mother and father and mitochondrial DNA from the egg donor. (...)
Just a little, tiny sliver of hope that many born in the future won't have to go through the horrors we are enduring. Not sure if this would help us in any way, but at least it would reduce the number of inherited diseases in the future.
 
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