for blogs

check this site out http://www.blogtoplist.com/rss/gene-therapy.html, it has many bolgs that is about what gene therapy is being developed to cure in these days. it goes on to further show that gene therapy should be allowed in out society. and being afraid of it just because of minor failures or the effect that it may have in our society is just silly.

we can stop them

even though genetic therapy may effect the Olympic Games, it doesn’t mean we should prevent it from helping patients. With tighter regulations and stricter rules against athletes from getting using gene therapy, this problem can be easily avoided. Agencies could also be created with governmental help to started to monitor athletes in regarding gene doping, process referred to when someone uses gene therapy like steroids. In addition, gene therapy only works on newly formed- targeted tissue cells, thus doctors can perform a comparison between DNAs of different tissues and determine gene dopers. Another way that they can prevent gene therapy is by simply denying athletes from any gene therapy that might effect their physical forms.

thus in my opinion its not right to consider gene therapy as something that might damage our society. in fact from what we have seen in the previous research that i have found, it could be very helpful to our society. so even though the olympic supporters are against it, this beneficial health therapy should still be popularized by our general public. as for the olympics, there are ways to avoid cheaters if doctors just look deeper into research.

muscle dystrophy

muscle dystrophy is another disease studied by genetic reaserchers. Muscle dystrophy has been affecting 1 in 3500 newborns. Muscle dystrophy is a mutation in the X chromosome which prevents the cell from making dystrophin protein. This could prevent proper development of all muscles in heart, limbs, and lungs. Using a type of muscle specific virus, scientists have been able to eliminate this mutation, correcting the problem. In mice this viral vector has been shown to improve the efficiency of skeletal muscles, heart muscles, and muscles used for breathing.

thus this is another reason why gene therapy should be popularized in the medical field. not only can it help people of the elderly, but imagine how many new born babies could also be saved.

check this out at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040726083533.htm

total process

here is an image that might help you guys understand the gene therapy process better.

1) a common virus is genetically altered with a human DNA, which can help the patients by changing the DNA in their tissue. first the disease causing virus DNA is removed with a special enzyme, then a human DNA is attached onto the main virus DNA by a protein called DNA ligase. once this is done than a viral vector is formed.

2) the viral vector is introduced into the patient like a vaccine. when the virus reaches its target tissue than it would insert its new DNA into the patient, this would change the human DNA, and thus start the gene therapy process.

3)when the viral DNA has finally been inserted into the human tissue, the new DNA is incorporated into human cell, and will make the protein, or function as the new DNA commands it to. This is also the part of gene therapy that the Olympic supporters most afraid of, because when the DNA is integrated it would be impossible for anyone to find out if that person was born with the DNA or if it was introduced by gene therapy.

well here you have it, the whole process in a nut shell.

most feared by Olympic

Muscle atrophy is a muscle disorder problem that is being solved by gene therapy right now. by using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) scientists have modified it with a gene that could produce IGF-I proteins. Once the DNA that could produce the IGF-I protein is integrated into the muscle’s DNA, the gene would allow skeletal muscles to regenerate and strengthen, thus providing muscles with more endurance and power. This process have been proven very effective with mice and cows; in mice testing, the over all muscles grew 15-30% more than before, showing a significant change in muscle size.
This can help the elderly especially, could be benefited from this type of gene therapy; their muscles have been weakening with age, thus if we could introduce the DNA that could create IGF-I proteins, think of how much better we could make their lives?
this is also one of the most feared researches by Olympic supporters.
check it out at http://www.bio.miami.edu/~cmallery/113/muscle.cell.pdf

helping with AIDS

Check this out,
scientist are now using viral vectors to cure AIDS. by fusing a small amount of HIV DNA into a virus, that virus can be used as a vaccine for HIV. this is done so that when the HIV DNA molecule is turned into a protein, the protein will trigger immune response. thus the immune system will recognize the HIV viral gene and thus will respond to it when the actual HIV virus is present in the body.
the reason that the virus it self doesn't cause AIDS is because the gene introduced is so small that it will not cause a massive HIV breakout in your system. thus this is a safe vaccine, at least proven so far.
therefore this is another reason why genetic therapy should be more available to the public; since many people suffer form HIV, wouldn't it be great to be able to prevent it like a cold.
check this out for your self.
http://www.iavireport.org/vax-primers/scienceofAIDSvaccines/Pages/VAX-primer-viral-vectors.aspx

to do and not to do, that is the question

here is an interesting fact about gene therapy. remember that i said you have to create a viral vector for and introduce it to the patient. well it turns out you can't extract all of the virus DNA, you have to take out only the disease causing viral DNA and leave the portion of gene that allows the virus to infiltrate the host. if both types of DNA are removed then the viral vector is totaled and becomes worthless. this procedure is done with an enzyme, but biologist have to be very careful, it is quite easy to screw up. isn't it interesting, its like turning your truck into a tank with out taking out the engines.