Three-parent fertility method could remove gene defects

A new method developed by Oregon biologists may keep babies from inheriting rare diseases carried by maternal genes. They produced early-stage human embryos from three parents. This sounds shocking and fascinating all at the same time. The gene transplant researchers were led by Masahito Tachibana of the Oregon Health & Science University in Beaverton. The embryos that they produced contained healthy version of mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA primarily comes from the mother.  According to the article, defects in these genes can cause diseases that involve muscle weakness and brain abnormalities. These kinds of abnormalities occur in 1,000 to 4,000 births every year nationwide. Bioethicist Kevin Smith sees this new approach as an opportunity for women with affected mitochondrial genetic disorders to produce healthy children. It should be noted that the researchers do not intend to produce children with the engineered embryos.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="A white blotch in the tube at right is DNA that has been removed from a human egg, center. The red dot is from a laser used in the procedure. Scientists have successfully transplanted DNA between human eggs and grown them into early embryos. (Photo: Oregon Health & Science University via AP)"][/caption]

In the Nature journal study, researchers inserted chromosomal genes from women into 65 donor eggs and then fertilized them with sperm. By taking the genetic nucleus out of an egg fertilized by two parents and implanting it into another egg with no history of mitochondrial diseases, they can remove the mitochondrial genes in the first mother's egg out of the reproduction equation.

People who should benefit from this new discovery are parents who already have children with mitochondrial diseases.  However, more testing has to be done as well. The study calls for animal testing aimed towards federal approval of safety trial at fertility clinic. As you may know, this study does come with some backlash. The British bioethics council reports that the procedure could be called ethical if proven to be safe. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized studies similar to the one in the Nature journal for the destruction of human embryos.  Even this has the potential to receive severe backlash, I would love for the study to continue. This could lead to elimination of some diseases that can be devastating to a family.  I would like to hear more about this study and I wonder if it will get approval by the Food and Drug Administration.  I don't think it will, but we will see.  The desturction of embryos is barred by law from receiving federal research funding.