Spherical RNA Therapy: The New Approach to Genetic Disease

DNA, RNA, tRNA, mRNA. All of these terms have been repeated multiple times in any Biology class taken. But what about SNA? Researchers have come up with a new type of RNA therapy that could essentially be effective in fighting multiple genetic diseases. Spherical nucleic acid, otherwise known as SNA, is the most recent breakthrough in RNA therapy with a very promising outlook.

After DNA is coded for in a cell, it is translated into messenger RNA, or mRNA, which then sends the coded information to the ribosomes. From the coded information, amino acids are formed and from there, the proteins for the cell are synthesized. However, too much protein build up in a cell causes problems that lead to genetic disease. Researchers, in this case, have focused mainly on psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin disorder in which red scaly skin develops mostly on the knees, elbows, and other spots on the body.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) hosted a conference in which they presented the findings on the effects of SNAs on psoriasis. SNAs are spherical and they're composed of identical RNA fragments attached to a central lipid. They go into a cell so they aren't broken up like other RNA fragments. Once the researchers code the SNA to a specific protein, the SNA blocks production of that protein. After doing a trial on the effect of SNAs on people with psoriasis, researchers found that they are considered to be safe. Eventually, researchers hope to find a way to use SNAs as a cure for psoriasis and other genetic diseases.

At the ACS meeting last week, SNA pioneer and Exicure Founder Chad Mirkin of Northwestern University, Evanston, in Illinois, told his audience that the initial trial results suggest that SNAs are safe. What’s more, there appears to be a dose-dependent response in knocking down TNF-α, which raises hopes that doctors will be able to find a curative dose.

I feel that this is a very important breakthrough in the journey to finding ways to fight or, hopefully, cure multiple genetic diseases. If SNAs can possibly help cure psoriasis at some point, this could lead to curing cancer or other diseases in which protein buildup is a problem. I find this article to be very interesting in the field of genetics and health. 

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/spherical-rna-therapy-shows-promise-against-psoriasis-first-human-trial

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/understanding-psoriasis-basics#1

Psoriasis and Obesity May Share Genetic Source

Both Psoriasis and Metabolic disorders have been linked to genetic and environmental exposure, with bad life styles such as smoking, alcohol, stress and decreased physical activities these two go hand in hand for immunoinflammatory pathways. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark conducted a study by using twins after filling out a questioner the results concluded that psoriasis affected 4.2% of the participants, 630 of them were men and 771 women, 1.4% had diabetes. Average BMI overall was 24.5 and 6.3% had a BMI of 30-34 which is classified as obese. People with psoriasis had a greater risk of high BMI and obesity than those without psoriasis. In conclusion, researchers stated psoriasis and obesity could partly stem from the same genetic cause, but not one condition does not necessarily lead to the other.

Those individuals who are ignored with psoriasis tend to chose a more sedentary life style which eventually leads to obesity and a higher risk of diabetes. Since there are many, many factors that can correlate these two, further research must be conducted.

I personally enjoyed learning about this topic since I am a pre-med major and psoriasis and obesity are diseases that I will eventually come across with my patients one day. It is interesting to know that these two possibly can correlate with each other. It makes me think as what else can be a correlation due to genes.

Click here for original source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/309592.php

Genetic Links to Gastrointesitinal Disorders

A recent study on Crohns disease and colitis, both autoimmune disorders of the gut, found that the diseases were genetically linked. Crohn's disease and colitis are both contributors to Inflammatory Bowel Disease, where colitis only effects the colon and Crohns may effect any of the gastrointestinal regions. Dr. Ramnik Xavier, one of the authors in this study stated that, “We used genome-wide association studies in combination with fine mapping tools ... to identify genetic factors that either increase or decrease the risk for developing these diseases".



These diseases have been heavily studied and only a couple of genes had previously been linked to these diseases. As of recently though, about 163 loci have been related to these diseases, with close to 71 of these loci being contributed from this study alone. With data from his own lab and team, Xavier was able to identify several pathways in which these genes were associated with these diseases and thanks to the help of different labs the specific genes linked to these conditions were identified. An observation that the researchers made was the the genes associated with IBD diseases also contributed to risk of type-1 diabetes and psoriasis. It is in hope that through the results of this study, further measures can be taken to help identify specific clues to understanding disease pathogenesis.

Article:      http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/11/9/gut-diseases-genetics/

Sub-Article:       http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/04/17/23647.aspx