• June 16, 2022
• By admin

Potential Applications Of CRISPR in Human Health

Insights on CRISPR technology

Researchers have delved deeply into the topic of genetics. From discovering the presence of double-helix DNA to sequencing the whole human genome, the field has come a long way. When a gene is mutated, it causes a genetic disorder. These diseases are extremely difficult to treat. However, ongoing genetics research may make it feasible to substantially treat these diseases. Genome editing (also known as gene editing) is a combination of techniques that allows scientists to change the DNA of an organism. These technologies enable the insertion, removal, or change of genetic material at particular locations across the genome. Several methods of genome editing have been developed. CRISPR-Cas9, which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9, is one of the most well-known. Because it is faster, cheaper, more precise, and more efficient than existing genome editing approaches, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has sparked a lot of interest in the scientific community. CRISPR-Cas9 is based on a naturally occurring genome editing technology used by bacteria to defend themselves. When bacteria are infected with viruses, they grab tiny fragments of the virus’s DNA and insert them into their own DNA in a specific way to form CRISPR arrays. Bacteria can “remember” viruses due to CRISPR arrays (or closely related ones). If the viruses resurface, the bacteria create RNA segments from CRISPR arrays that detect and bind to particular sections of the viruses’ DNA. The bacteria then employ Cas9 or a similar enzyme to rip the virus’s DNA apart, rendering it inoperable.

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has a wide range of applications

It has been used in medical studies for cancer, viral infections, genetic diseases, and pathogen identification. This technique has been used to successfully repair mutations in monogenic diseases in mice. So far, almost 6000 genetic diseases have been identified. However, the majority of disorders have no viable therapeutic options. The method of replacing a gene mutation with exogenous DNA and editing the mutant gene in its natural position is known as gene therapy. It is the most recent advancement in the medical biotechnology revolution. Gene treatments, including the new CRISPR/Cas-9, have been licensed for the treatment of human illnesses since 1998. The field spectrum in which the CRISPR-Cas system can be used is constantly changing. Currently, the technique is widely employed in bio-engineering, ranging from simple phenotypic expression to the most sophisticated cancer targeting in the human genome available in the twenty-first century. CRISPR can also be employed in the fields of renewable energy and agriculture. The genetic modification of a crop (such as algae) meant for biofuel generation is one example of its use. Both bacterial and eukaryotic cells may be modified using CRISPR.

CRISPR applied to the betterment of human health

Genome editing using CRISPR technology has a wide range of applications in the field of healthcare. In the future, CRISPR/Cas-based genetic targeting technology might be a viable alternative for treating virus-related disorders. CRISPR/Cas9 technology has already shown promise in a variety of human ailments, including genetic abnormalities, cancers, and viral infections. In addition to the aforementioned viruses, this technology is becoming increasingly powerful, and it has already been extensively used in research on preventing and combating other human viruses such as Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis C viruses (HCV), Kaposi sarcoma virus (KSHV), JC virus (JCV), and Herpes simplex virus (HSV) (HSV). Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been used to study the biological processes of viral carcinogenesis as well as the therapy of viral infections. Since 2012, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has been tried in a wide range of species and cells, including hematopoietic cells, with great success. In human hematopoietic cells, CRISPR-Cas9 is mostly used to target the genes that cause HIV infection, -thalassemia, and sickle cell disease (SCD). CRISPR-effective Cas9’s disruption of CCR5 and CXCR4 genes in T cells raises hopes for the technology’s use in the functional cure of HIV.

Reference

1. Asmamaw, M., & Zawdie, B. (2021). <p>Mechanism and Applications of CRISPR/Cas-9-Mediated Genome Editing</p>. Biologics: Targets and Therapy, 15, 353–361. https://doi.org/10.2147/BTT.S326422
2. Introduction to the CRISPR/Cas9 system. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2022, from https://www.takarabio.com/learning-centers/gene-function/gene-editing/gene-editing-tools-and-information/introduction-to-the-crispr/cas9-system
3. Torres-Ruiz, R., & Rodriguez-Perales, S. (2017). CRISPR-Cas9 technology: Applications and human disease modelling. Briefings in Functional Genomics, 16(1), 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1093/bfgp/elw025
4. What are genome editing and CRISPR-Cas9?: MedlinePlus Genetics. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/genomicresearch/genomeediting/