In response to groundbreaking yet controversial progress in the field of genetic engineering, China has announced the implementation of stringent new gene-editing regulations. The new rules stipulate that researchers must secure official government approval prior to commencing any clinical trials involving gene editing. Any failure to comply with these new guidelines could result in severe penalties, including permanent prohibitions on further research.
The Trigger: A Tale of Gene-Edited Babies
The inception of these new regulations can be traced back to last year’s revelation by Chinese researcher He Jiankui. Dr. He caused a global stir when he claimed to have used the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technique to create the world’s first gene-edited babies with immunity to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This claim prompted an immediate investigation by the Chinese national health commission, which found that Dr. He had violated existing regulations against using gene-editing for reproductive purposes.
Gene Editing: A Revolutionary Technique
Also known as genetic modification, manipulation, or engineering, gene editing is a collective term for the technologies that allow scientists to alter an organism’s DNA. By enabling the addition, modification or removal of genetic material at specific points in the genome, gene editing has wide-ranging applications, including enhancing agricultural productivity and disease resistance.
A Closer Look at CRISPR
CRISPR is a pioneering gene-editing technology. Modelled after bacteria’s natural defense mechanisms against viral attacks, CRISPR utilizes a unique protein called Cas9. Functioning like a set of molecular scissors, the Cas9 protein enables unprecedented precision in cutting and pasting sections of DNA strands containing genetic information. During the natural repair process following a DNA strand break, scientists can introduce desired genetic codes, thereby creating tailored DNA sequences. Simple, efficient, and incredibly precise, the CRISPR-Cas9 technology harbors the potential to revolutionize our future.
| Key Facts | Description |
|---|---|
| Gene Editing | A technique that allows scientists to alter an organism’s DNA |
| CRISPR | A technology that imitates bacteria’s natural defense mechanisms to edit genes |
| Cas9 | A protein utilized by CRISPR to cut and paste sections of DNA strands |
The Controversy: Ethical Implications of Gene Editing
Dr. He employed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique to disable a gene called CCR5, which enables HIV to infiltrate and infect cells. Despite the absence of established guidelines on the clinical use of gene editing in embryos, there is a broad consensus among scientists and ethicists that such uses are premature. As yet, no human clinical trials have tested whether disabling the CCR5 gene can entirely prevent HIV infection. In the absence of clinical trial data or consensus on using this approach for HIV prevention, applying it as a medical intervention on babies is widely regarded as unethical.
CCR5: More Than Just a Gene
C-C chemokine receptor type 5, also known as CCR5, plays a vital role in our immune system by acting as a receptor for chemokines on the surface of white blood cells. Beyond enabling HIV to enter and infect cells, the CCR5 gene is implicated in protection against the West Nile virus and various severe infections and chronic diseases. The gene also stimulates the immune system to combat the influenza virus in the lungs.
