Re: Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?

From: klsk (laksdjk_at_jasjh.com)
Date: 07/05/04 

Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2004 16:04:15 +0300

Bob <bbruner@uclink4.berkeley.edu> wrote:

>On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:06:38 +0300, klsk <laksdjk@jasjh.com> wrote:
>
>>I've read about how bacteria and micro-organisms have been genetically altered to
>>fight disease. For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to
>>generate insulin. Viruses have been also genetically altered to inject dna code
>>to liver cells in hopes of getting liver cell to turn into insulin producing
>>betacells. Research like about seems farfetched yet almost all insulin produced
>>today is from modified bacteria.
>>
>>What research has been done to this effect - not just in attempts to cure
>>diabetes? Could viruses modified to attack cancer cell for example?
>
>Example. A virus was modified so that it would only grow in cells with
>a specific defect, one that is common in cancer. So it should grow in
>and kill the cancer cells. Worked fairly well in the lab, and went
>into clinical trial, I think. Haven't heard much recently. Problem is
>that the real world is usually more complex than we think it is.
>
>
>Remember, the first work of this type, moving DNA around, was done
>about 1974. So the whole field is still rather new.
>
>GM plants are an application of what you describe, in the broad sense.
>
>Trying to cure a human disease by changing the patient’s genes (often
>using a modified virus) is called gene therapy. People have been
>working on it for two decades. The idea is simple enough, but
>everything has to be "just right" (the gene has to function at the
>right place at the right time at the right level) -- and we don't do
>much testing of novel procedures on humans.
>
>The most successful gene therapy trial was announced a couple years
>ago... a French group that treated a group of kids that had a
>defective immune system with the missing gene. Most got better,
>indicating a quite good success. And then, two of the kids got a
>cancer (leukemia), which is almost certainly from the treatment. Even
>with the leukemia ( which was easily treated), the kids were probably
>better off than if they had not gotten the gene therapy, but clearly
>the leukemia was a setback; it forced delays and re-thinking. At this
>point, the reason for the cancer is more or less understood, and
>trials are resuming. But this shows how complex and slow the field is.
>
>You might google on
>"gene therapy" X-SCID
>for some info on this work. (X-SCID is a nickname for the disease.)
>
>So, much is happening, some along the lines you have suggested. Your
>suggestions are all reasonable and interesting, but making them
>actually work is not so easy.
>
>bob
>

Thanks Bob for your input.

Gene therapy as I understand it, (I'm not a doctor of any kind, just an engineer)
works by changing patients own gene to do some beneficial work.
I was thinking along the lines of creating a micro-organism (virus, bacteria,
phage whatever) that homes in on cancer cells or whatever and destroys it. I
assume changing ones own gene is more difficult and carries more risk. Something
like this would probably be easier to test externally.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?
    ... For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to ... >using a modified virus) is called gene therapy. ... phage whatever) that homes in on cancer cells or whatever and destroys it. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?
    ... I've read about how bacteria and micro-organisms have been genetically altered to ... For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to ... Should a virus be made to attack cancer cells they would then be destroyed by ... How about using something like above for diagnostic tools. ...
    (sci.med.diseases.cancer)
  • Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?
    ... I've read about how bacteria and micro-organisms have been genetically altered to ... For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to ... Should a virus be made to attack cancer cells they would then be destroyed by ... How about using something like above for diagnostic tools. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?
    ... For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to ... >to liver cells in hopes of getting liver cell to turn into insulin producing ... Could viruses modified to attack cancer cell for example? ... The most successful gene therapy trial was announced a couple years ...
    (sci.med.diseases.cancer)
  • Re: Genetically engineered micro-organisms to fight disease?
    ... For example insulin is produced by bacteria that is altered to ... >to liver cells in hopes of getting liver cell to turn into insulin producing ... Could viruses modified to attack cancer cell for example? ... The most successful gene therapy trial was announced a couple years ...
    (sci.med)
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