Unique mRNA delivery method could fix faulty genes before birth
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
A new study shows that a biomedical tool can successfully deliver genetic material to edit faulty genes in developing fetal brain cells. The technology, tested in mice, might have the potential to stop the progression of genetic-based neurodevelopmental conditions, such as Angelman syndrome and Rett syndrome, before birth.
"The implications of this tool for treating neurodevelopmental conditions are profound. We can potentially correct genetic anomalies at a foundational level during critical periods of brain development," said the study's senior author Aijun Wang, a UC Davis professor of surgery and biomedical engineering.
The study, a collaboration between the Wang Lab and the Murthy Lab at UC Berkeley, is published in ACS Nano. The team hopes to develop this technology into treatments for genetic conditions that can be diagnosed during prenatal testing. The treatments can be given in the womb to avoid more damage as cells develop and mature.
