Genetic Engineering and Its Applications in Healthcare

Insulin production, antibody creation and the manufacturing of growth hormones may all seem to be treatments to unrelated diseases, but the production of these medications, along with a multitude of others, all include the usage of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering refers to any procedure that alters the genome of an organism. To do this, scientists use a part of the  DNA of one organism and attach it to either a virus or a plasmid; both of which are able to replicate when introduced to another organism. The DNA segment and the plasmid or virus that it is attached to then are put into the organism of choice, where it is able to divide and replicate in the cells. One of the most prominent and earliest examples of using the aforementioned recombinant DNA process to create treatments was in 1986 with the creation of a vaccine for hepatitis B. This was done by inserting the genetic makeup of an antigen of hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted liver disease, into yeast cells to create the vaccination. This vaccine drastically decreased the yearly amount of infections that were present in countries with access to the virus, and also provided a much safer alternative to the usage of human blood to treat patients, which came with the risk of transmitting blood-related diseases during infusion. Similarly, yeast was also used as the organism to create a form of insulin that is produced widely to treat those with diabetes. Using recombinant DNA techniques to create treatments provides a safer way to distribute medicine, as human blood, or other substances sourced directly from people, aren’t used. 

Although gene engineering has been a highly beneficial technique in medicine, over the years, especially during the beginning of the research on its uses in healthcare, there have been some critics of the method. One worry stemmed from the public health risks of testing the effects of certain DNA segments when recombined with other organisms. An example of this was during the suggestion of a study of a virus, SV40, which had been found within monkeys. This virus had no negative effect when naturally occurring in monkeys, but had been found to be the cause of tumors when in other animals. If a DNA recombinant procedure was to be done on such a virus, there was concern that there would be a high risk of mass sickness if there was any contamination that left the lab it was being studied in. Additionally, when concerning the usage of recombinant DNA directly in humans, as has been studied in recent years, there is a possibility that the body will not react in a desired manner after being introduced to the DNA segment. The target cells could destroy the modified DNA, rendering the treatment useless, and different mutations also have the potential of occuring due to the rDNA. Because of these concerns, regulations have been put in place, and have been modified as genetic engineering research develops, which address the standards, ethical regulations and possible risks that come into play when researching in the field. 

One of the most recent developments within the scope of genetic engineering has been the emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat technology, which is more commonly called CRISPR. CRISPR has made it possible to edit a genetic sequence with extreme specificity. It can find a specific sequence of DNA and also proceed to edit it as desired. CRISPR has the ability to provide treatment for a variety of illnesses, from increasing the hemoglobin levels for people suffering with sickle cell anemia, to being used in research to better understand neurological disorders, and even being considered as a possible treatment for various cancers. CRISPR technology is currently being further researched, and has proven to have a lot of potential in a range of medical treatments. It serves as an optimal example of the benefits that genetic engineering has had, and will have in years to come, in the realm of medical remedies.

References:

Boundless. (2021, January 03). 7.23: Genetic engineering products. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)/7%3A_Microbial_Genetics/7.23%3A_Genetic_Engineering_Products

Boundless. (2021, January 03). 7.24: Transgenic organisms. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)/7%3A_Microbial_Genetics/7.24%3A_Transgenic_Organisms

Genetic engineering, human genetics, and cell biology : evolution of technological issues. Biotechnology (supplemental report III) : report / prepared for the Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Technology of the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, second session by the Science Policy Research Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. . Washington, U.S. G.P.O. HeinOnline, https://heinonline-org.proxy.library.nyu.edu/HOL/P?h=hein.comprint/gehgcb0001&i=37.

Synthego staff. (2021). History of Genetic Engineering and the Rise of Genome Editing Tools. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.synthego.com/learn/genome-engineering-history