To date, the research community is horrified: In late November 2018, the Chinese researcher He Jiankui has claimed that he genetically modified two embryos and that twins have since been born. He wants the children to have HIV protection built into the genome.
The special feature of the procedure: genes adapted to the embryo are later found in adults in all body cells and are also inherited to future generations. At the same time, the risks of such an intervention are difficult to manage for current and future generations. This is also illustrated by a new study.
According to Thomas Carmichael of the University of California at Los Angeles, the same gene constellation that allegedly protects the twins from HIV helps stroke patients recover.
MORE ON THE SUBJECT
People without the CCR5 gene are more fit again after a stroke
First indications were already available from older studies. In 2016, researchers in mice had shown that brain injury healed faster if the CCR5 gene was blocked. It then easier new connections formed, which partly replaced the function of dead neurons.
UCLA / Carmichael lab
Scars and inflammation in the brain of mice after stroke (top), regeneration (below)
It also showed that the mice learned better and were easier to remember when given a drug that suppresses CCR5. The substance is actually used in HIV patients to prevent the virus from spreading in their body.
Now, the researchers documented how 446 patients recovered after a mild or moderate stroke, how to walk or speak better. Much on the fact that those who lacked the CCR5 gene by nature, performed better. Also in tests of memory, the ability to express and attention span they performed better, write the researchers in the journal "Cell".
MORE ON THE SUBJECT
Eternal noise in the head
"We are the first to demonstrate a function of CCR5 in the human brain," Carmichael said loudly, "Technology Review." However, the impact of the gene's failure on Crispr-affected babies in China can not be said. That's why the experiments were so irresponsible.
It makes a big difference whether to restore a broken body function or fundamentally improve an ability, stressed the researchers. Therefore, it is unclear whether the missing gene makes the twins particularly smart or enables them to have an above-average memory.
Maybe it just makes them recover faster after a stroke, like people who naturally do not wear the gene. In addition, the researchers on the page of the "Daily Mail" to consider that an extreme memory is not necessarily beneficial: the brain only work so well because it is able to sort out unimportant information.