The first-ever gene-hacking tool was developed, which can target specific organs or cells that medical experts want to edit, including particular areas of the human brain. The Tufts University biomedical engineers designed the new injection to alter cells in the immune system, target organs, such as the liver, and cross the blood-brain that protects the brain.
The tool allows scientists to edit specific brain cells, as well. The results of the study were published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
How the gene-editing tool works
According to the research, the new injection can lead to a straightforward way to perform genetic treatments since it is directly injected into the bloodstream. The new technology was first tested on lab mice, but it was suggested that the tool should also work on people.
"We created a method around tailoring the delivery package for a wide range of potential therapeutics, including gene editing," said Qiaobing Xu, the study's lead author. Xu and his team modified the delivery packed, depending on the type of cell they want to edit, whether it is better at equipping a brain cell, to treat a neurological condition, or an immune system cell, to fight particular cancer.
The gene-hacking injection is unlike any other
The new injection allows the gene-editing enzymes to stick to specific cell types by attaching different proteins onto the surface, which can't be done by the previous gene-hacking technologies.
"The methods draw upon combinatorial chemistry used by the pharmaceutical industry for designing the drugs themselves, but instead we are applying the approach to designing the components of the delivery vehicle," added the lead author.
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
