Tuesday, January 1, 2013

continued research


Types of disorder gene thereapy can and cannot treat

Can treat:
-          all forms of diseases can be treated to a various degree by altering gene expression
-           heal hereditary diseases such as
o   muscular distrophy
o   cystic fibrosis
o   hemophilia
o   diabetes type I
o   metabolic diseases (phenylketonuria etc.)
o   lysosomal storage disorders (mucopolysaccharosis, Gaucher etc..)
-          diseases that are genetically predisposed, but also depend on external factors such as
o   cancer
o   cardiovascular failures
o   neurodegenerative disorders (ALS, MS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's etc)
-          purely accidental (acquired) disorders such as
o   traumatic injuries (bone fractures, wounds, burns)
o   ischemias (tissue necrosis due to interrupoted blood supply)
o   infections

How gene therapy can be used to treat ADA-deficient SCID

-          The target cells are: Lymphocytes, bone marrow cells
-          Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder. Defects in the ADA gene can leads to absent or diminished ADA enzyme activity in all tissues of the body.
-          The reversing of this genetic defect by replacing the defective gene may be possible by means of gene therapy.
-          The newly isolated gene may then be used for treatment by inserting it into the cells whose function is dependent on that gene.
The gene transfer method used must be highly efficient and able to deliver the corrective gene to the proper cells to restore its normal function.

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