Research on the Ethical Supervision of Human Gene Editing Technology: Based on the Perspective of Game Theory / 中国医学伦理学

In view of the current norms and demands of human gene editing technology at home and abroad, the paper explained that the regulatory difficulties faced by human gene editing technology were due to the conflict between economic interests and moral bottom line by constructing a game model in a hypothetical way. On this basis, the ideas of the supervision mode of human gene editing technology were put forward: establish unified international standards based on the country as the main body, enact more stringent and effective laws, to jointly deal with the behavior of genetic manipulation of human gametes, zygotes and embryos for the purpose of reproductive, and ensure the normalization and legalization of gene editing technology to avoid technology abuse.

Advances in corneal stromal regeneration and repair / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Corneal stroma is a significant part of the cornea and plays a significant role in the eye's refractive system. Although corneal transplantation is now the most effective treatment for corneal stromal disease, its advancement has been constrained by a shortage of donors, the need for prolonged immunosuppressive medicine to prevent rejection, and low graft survival rates. An alternate strategy is to use the corneal stroma's natural capacity for regeneration to create the ideal conditions for the collagenous extracellular matrix of the stroma to self-renew. However, it is challenging to replicate the intricate ultrastructure of the corneal stroma in vitro. Regenerative medicine has so been used to address these issues. These approaches refer to numerous disciplines, including stem cell-induced differentiation, tissue engineering and gene editing. This article provides potential directions for the future clinical applications of corneal stromal regeneration and repair while summarizing pertinent techniques, research progress, and issues.

Logic-gated tumor-microenvironment nanoamplifier enables targeted delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 for multimodal cancer therapy

Recent innovations in nanomaterials inspire abundant novel tumor-targeting CRISPR-based gene therapies. However, the therapeutic efficiency of traditional targeted nanotherapeutic strategies is limited by that the biomarkers vary in a spatiotemporal-dependent manner with tumor progression. Here, we propose a self-amplifying logic-gated gene editing strategy for gene/H2O2-mediated/starvation multimodal cancer therapy. In this approach, a hypoxia-degradable covalent-organic framework (COF) is synthesized to coat a-ZIF-8 in which glucose oxidase (GOx) and CRISPR system are packaged. To intensify intracellular redox dyshomeostasis, DNAzymes which can cleave catalase mRNA are loaded as well. When the nanosystem gets into the tumor, the weakly acidic and hypoxic microenvironment degrades the ZIF-8@COF to activate GOx, which amplifies intracellular H+ and hypoxia, accelerating the nanocarrier degradation to guarantee available CRISPR plasmid and GOx release in target cells. These tandem reactions deplete glucose and oxygen, leading to logic-gated-triggered gene editing as well as synergistic gene/H2O2-mediated/starvation therapy. Overall, this approach highlights the biocomputing-based CRISPR delivery and underscores the great potential of precise cancer therapy.

Gene therapy strategies and prospects for neurofibromatosis type 1 / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To summarize the gene therapy strategies for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and related research progress.@*METHODS@#The recent literature on gene therapy for NF1 at home and abroad was reviewed. The structure and function of the NF1 gene and its mutations were analyzed, and the current status as well as future prospects of the transgenic therapy and gene editing strategies were summarized.@*RESULTS@#NF1 is an autosomal dominantly inherited tumor predisposition syndrome caused by mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which impair the function of the neurofibromin and lead to the disease. It has complex clinical manifestations and is not yet curable. Gene therapy strategies for NF1 are still in the research and development stage. Existing studies on the transgenic therapy for NF1 have mainly focused on the construction and expression of the GTPase-activating protein-related domain in cells that lack of functional neurofibromin, confirming the feasibility of the transgenic therapy for NF1. Future research may focus on split adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery, oversized AAV gene delivery, and the development of new vectors for targeted delivery of full-length NF1 cDNA. In addition, the gene editing tools of the new generation have great potential to treat monogenic genetic diseases such as NF1, but need to be further validated in terms of efficiency and safety.@*CONCLUSION@#Gene therapy, including both the transgenic therapy and gene editing, is expected to become an important new therapeutic approach for NF1 patients.

Aplicaciones clínicas de la herramienta CRISPR-Cas / Clinical Applications of the CRISPR-Cas Tool

Resumen El desarrollo de tecnologías para la edición del genoma ha abierto la posibilidad de apuntar directamente y modificar secuencias genómicas en casi todo tipo de células eucariotas. La edición del genoma ha ampliado nuestra capacidad para dilucidar la contribución de la genética a las enfermedades al promover la creación de modelos celulares y animales más precisos de procesos patológicos y ha comenzado a mostrar su potencial en una variedad de campos, que van desde la investigación básica hasta la biotecnología aplicada y biomédica. Entre estas tecnologías, el uso de las repeticiones palindrómicas cortas agrupadas regularmente espaciadas ha acelerado, en gran medida, el progreso de la edición de genes desde el concepto hasta la práctica clínica, generando, además, interés debido, no solo a su precisión y eficiencia, sino también a la rapidez y a los costos necesarios para su implementación en comparación con otras tecnologías de edición genómica. En esta revisión se presenta información recabada de publicaciones indexadas en la base de datos PubMed que se encontraron mediante el uso de palabras claves asociadas con la tecnología y que se filtraron para retener solo aquellas con evidencias de avances clínicamente relevantes y que permiten demostrar algunas de las aplicaciones que tiene esta tecnología en la investigación, pronóstico y tratamiento de enfermedades genéticas, cardiovasculares, virales, entre otras; esto con el objetivo de dar a conocer la situación actual de los avances en aplicaciones clínicas de la herramienta CRISPR-Cas y fomentar aún más la investigación en esta tecnología, la cual, tal como se evidencia a lo largo de esta revisión, posee una gran versatilidad y un amplio rango de aplicaciones, lo que ofrece una enorme oportunidad en el campo de la medicina genómica, pero que, a su vez, requiere un mayor fomento en su investigación para mejorar la tecnología y acercarla aún más a consolidar aplicaciones clínicas de uso seguro, confiable y consistente.

Abstract The development of genome editing technologies has opened up the possibility of directly targeting and modifying genomic sequences in almost all types of eukaryotic cells. Genome editing has expanded our ability to elucidate the contribution of genetics to disease by promoting the creation of more precise cellular and animal models of disease processes and has begun to show its potential in a variety of fields, ranging from basic research to applied and biomedical biotechnology. Among these technologies, the use of clustered regularly spaced short palindromic repeats have greatly accelerated the progress of gene editing from concept to clinical practice, further generating interest due not only to its precision and efficiency, but also to the speed and costs required for its implementation compared to other genomic editing methods. This review presents information collected from indexed publications in the PubMed database that were found by using keywords associated with the technology and filtered to retain only those with evidence of clinically relevant advances that demonstrate some of the applications that this technology has in research, prognosis, and treatment of genetic, cardiovascular, and viral diseases, among others; this with the aim of show the current situation of advances in clinical applications of the CRISPR-Cas tool and further encourage research in this technology, which, as evidenced throughout this review, has a great versatility and a wide range of applications, which offers an enormous opportunity in the field of genomic medicine but which, in turn, requires greater support in its research to improve the technology and bring it even closer to consolidating clinical applications of safe, reliable and consistent use.

CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing approaches for psychiatric research

Currently, genome editing technologies, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas9), are predominantly used to model genetic diseases. This genome editing system can correct point or frameshift mutations in risk genes. Here, we analyze and discuss the advantages of genome editing, its current applications, and the feasibility of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in research on psychiatric disorders. These disorders produce cognitive and behavioral alterations and their etiology is associated with polygenetic and environmental factors. CRISPR/Cas9 may reveal the biological mechanisms of psychiatric disorders at a basic research level, translating a suitable clinical approach for use in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Genetic diagnosis and treatment for these disorders have not yet been fully established in psychiatry due to the limited understanding of their heterogeneity and polygenicity. We discuss the challenges and ethical issues in using CRISPR/Cas9 as a tool for diagnosis or gene therapy.

Editing the Human Genome with CRISPR/Cas: A Review of its Molecular Basis, Current Clinical Applications, and Bioethical Implications

ABSTRACT CRISPR/Cas genes evolved in prokaryotic organisms as a mechanism of defense designed to identify and destroy genetic material from threatening viruses. A breakthrough discovery is that CRISPR/Cas system can be used in eukaryotic cells to edit almost any desired gene. This comprehensive review addresses the most relevant work in the CRISPR/Cas field, including its history, molecular biology, gene editing capability, ongoing clinical trials, and bioethics. Although the science involved is complex, we intended to describe it in a concise manner that could be of interest to diverse readers, including anyone dedicated to the treatment of patients who could potentially benefit from gene editing, molecular biologists, and bioethicists. CRISPR/Cas has the potential to correct inherited diseases caused by single point mutations, to knock-in the promoter of a gene whose expression is highly desirable or knockout the gene coding for a deleterious protein. CRISPR/Cas technique can also be used to edit ex vivo immune cells and reinsert them in patients, improving their efficiency in attacking malignant cells, limiting the infectious potential of viruses or modulating xenotransplant rejection. Very important bioethical considerations on this topic include the need to internationally regulate its use by ad hoc expert committees and to limit its use until safety and bioethical issues are satisfactorily resolved.

Algunos dilemas éticos presentes y futuros ante los avances en fecundación in vitro / Some present and future ethical dilemmas surrounding advancements in in vitro fertilization

RESUMEN El creciente campo de la reproducción humana asistida ha alcanzado hitos inimaginables. Su continuo desarrollo y las innovaciones que genera, en ocasiones, plantean dilemas tanto éticos como jurídicos. El presente ensayo trata de exponer los cambios progresivos que se están viviendo en el ámbito del origen de la vida debido al desarrollo de nuevas opciones y estrategias en reproducción humana asistida. En primer lugar, se realiza una reflexión interdisciplinar desde la ciencia, la ética y el derecho, sobre la naturaleza humana y los cambios a los que la sociedad se enfrenta, en particular, desde la perspectiva española. En segundo lugar, recoge una breve aproximación en torno a las técnicas biomédicas presentes o futuras en el campo de la reproducción humana. Concluye sobre la necesidad de reflexionar ante el vertiginoso avance de la ciencia en materia de reproducción humana asistida.

ABSTRACT The growing field of assisted human reproduction has achieved unimaginable milestones. Its continuous development and the innovations it generates at times pose both ethical and legal dilemmas. This essay aims to elucidate the progressive changes occurring in the realm of the origin of life due to the development of new options and strategies in assisted human reproduction. First, it constructs an interdisciplinary reflection on human nature and the changes society faces from the perspectives of science, ethics, and law, particularly from the perspective of Spain. Second, it provides a brief overview of current or future biomedical techniques in the field of human reproduction. It concludes with a discussion of the need to reflect on the rapid advancement of science in assisted human reproduction.

Gene editing of the human embryo: tensions and controversies among scientists / Edição genética do embrião humano: tensões e controvérsias de posicionamentos entre cientistas

Objective: This study analyzed the relation between the position of scientists on embryo editing and the different types of knowledge involved. Methods: A lexical analysis of 151 scientific articles in the PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted using the IRAMUTEQ software. Results: The results showed that gene editing in embryos is presented in two argumentative branches: the first refers to the editing technique and its possibilities; the second discusses the impacts of these techniques on the public arena. The results demonstrate a consensus regarding the potential of editing; however, dilemmas about its effectiveness were also highlighted. Conclusion: The presence of ethical conflicts with embryo editing among the specialists was evidenced especially regarding the birth of genetically modified babies. Therefore, gene editing is marked by conflicts that are not limited only to biological contexts, but that encompasses different aspects of social life.

Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a relação entre o posicionamento dos cientistas sobre a edição de embriões e os diferentes tipos de conhecimento envolvidos nesses debates. Método: Utilizando o software IRAMUTEQ realizou-se uma análise lexical de 151 artigos científicos nas bases de dados PubMed e Web of Science. Resultados: Os resultados demonstraram que a edição genética de embriões se apresenta em dois blocos argumentativos: o primeiro se refere à técnica de edição e suas possibilidades e o segundo discute os impactos dessas técnicas na arena pública. Os achados demonstram consenso sobre as potencialidades da edição, contudo dilemas sobre a sua eficácia foram também destacados. Conclusão: Evidenciou-se a presença de embates éticos sobre a edição de embriões entre os especialistas em relação ao nascimento de bebês geneticamente modificados. Observou-se que a edição genética é marcada por conflitos que não se limitam apenas a contextos biológicos, mas que tangem diferentes aspectos da vida social.

Cancer genomics and precision medicine / 药学学报

It has been noted for decades that cancer is essentially a genomic disease. Benefiting from the latest development of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics technologies, a variety of genetic alterations have been identified for their roles in cancer occurrence and development, giving rise to new opportunities for anti-cancer drug discovery. In particular, the rapid advancement of cancer genomics has paved the way for the precision medicine that has gained compelling achievement in the past years and significantly benefited cancer patients. In this review, we summarize the main types of genomic abnormalities in cancer, the application of functional genomics research in cancer research, and in particular the translational application of cancer genomics in clinical diagnosis, drug discovery and cancer precision medicine. With this review, we hope to better understand cancer genomics research and provide future perspectives for its application in precision medicine.

Current advances of CRISPR/Cas system in antibacterial field / 药学学报

A breakthrough in molecular biology for the twenty-first century is CRISPR/Cas gene editing, which has been used in a variety of fields due to its simplicity, adaptability, and targeting. Given the current global challenge of severe bacterial resistance, difficulties in detecting antimicrobial resistance, and slow development of antimicrobial drugs, CRISPR/Cas gene-editing technology offers a promising avenue for the development of antibacterial treatments. On the one hand, CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology helps advance the study of bacterial functions and serves as a toolbox. For instance, Cas proteins and exogenous repair systems enable efficient and precise gene editing, nCas proteins and deaminase systems facilitate template-free and single base precision editing, dCas proteins and reverse transcriptase allow for repair-free gene editing, and dCas proteins and modified sgRNA enable gene expression level regulation and gene function analysis. On the other hand, its specific gene recognition and targeted DNA cleavage characteristics can be used for pathogen detection, elimination of drug-resistant bacteria and genes, and hold promise as a new strategy for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Construction of CRISPR/Cas9 system targeting mouse Tsc1 and Tsc2 gene and verification of targeting effectiveness / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#ObjectiveTo design and construct CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system targeting Tsc1 and Tsc2 genes,and verify the effectiveness of gene editing at cellular level.MethodsThree sgRNA guide sequences were designed for mouse Tsc1 and Tsc2 genes respectively. The sgRNA expression vector was constructed and co-transfected with the Cas9 expression plasmid into mouse N2a cells. After the positive cells were obtained through drug screening,the DNA fragments at the targeting site were amplified by PCR,and the targeting efficiency was verified by TA clone sequencing.ResultsThe five targets of Tsc1-M-sgRNA2 and Tsc1-M-sgRNA3 of Tsc1 gene and Tsc2-M-sgRNA1,Tsc2-M-sgRNA2 and Tsc2-M-sgRNA3 of Tsc2 gene were all edited,and the editing efficiency was 40%,80%,30%,30% and 20%,respectively.ConclusionA CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system with editing efficiency targeting mouse Tsc1 and Tsc2 genes was successfully constructed.

Research progress on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated 9 system for the treatment of HSV / 中华检验医学杂志

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a double-stranded DNA enveloped virus that causes severe effects on the human body by infecting the skin and nerve tissues. Because of latency and reactivation, the rapid detection and eradication of HSV are great challenges for clinical treatments. In recent years, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system has developed rapidly in the field of gene editing and detection due to its simple design and high targeting efficiency.

Recent advances in preclinical research of renal xenotransplantation and selection of potential recipients in the future / 中华器官移植杂志

After continuous efforts from generations of transplant surgeons, kidney transplantation (KT) has become an optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease.However, an imbalance between supply and demand of organs has always restricted the development of KT.For this clinical dilemma, xenotransplantation is expected to become one practical alternative for alleviating organ shortage.This review summarized recent literature reports of kidney xenotransplantation and the latest cases of pig-to-human kidney and heart transplantations.Also clinical transformations and applications of kidney xenotransplantation were discussed.

Construction of human TCRP1 gene knockout chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cell line using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and its biological function detection / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To select human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cell line K562 as the experimental object, and use lentivirus mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to construct a stable CML cell line K562/TCRP1-KO that knocks out the tongue cancer resistance related protein 1 (TCRP1) gene; and through functional tests such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and drug sensitivity, compare the phenotypic differences between K562/TCRP1-KO and control cells (K562/cas9-CTL), and preliminarily explore the possible mechanism of TCRP1 gene involvement in the pathogenesis of CML.Methods:The small guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting TCRP1 was designed at a specific location. After annealing, the oligonucleotide fragments were recombined with the linearized Cas9 expression vector, and the lentivirus packaging system was transfected into 293T cells. The purified virus was collected and infected with K562 cells. Positive polyclons were screened for puromycin pressure, and monoclonal K562/TCRP1-KO was further screened by limited dilution method. Stable cell lines were successfully knocked out by sanger sequencing and Western blot detection; Simultaneously, K562 cells transfected with lentiCRISPR vector were constructed as control cell lines (K562/cas9-CTL); Using cell counting method, cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) method, imatinib (IM) gradient dilution method, and flow cytometry cell proliferation, drug sensitivity, and apoptosis analysis were performed on K562/TCRP1-KO and K562/cas9-CTL, respectively.Results:The sgRNA-Cas9 recombinant plasmid vector for TCRP1 knockout was successfully constructed, and after transfection into 293T cells, TCRP1 knockout monoclonal cell lines were successfully screened using limited dilution method. Compared with K562/cas9-CTL cells, the proliferation ability of K562/TCRP1-KO cells was significantly reduced, IM drug sensitivity was significantly enhanced, and the process of cell apoptosis was significantly accelerated (all P<0.05). Conclusions:A CML cell line with TCRP1 knockout was successfully constructed using CRISPR/Cas9. TCRP1 may act as a cancer related gene to affect the proliferation, IM resistance, and apoptosis process of CML cells.

Application of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in hereditary retinal diseases / 中华实验眼科杂志

Several mutant genes for inherited retinal diseases have been identified, but effective treatments are still lacking.The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) system can edit human genomic DNA by nonhomologous end joining or homology-directed repair, offering more possibilities for the treatment of hereditary retinal diseases.CRISPR/Cas9 not only can genetically correct patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to observe their differentiation into retinal cells thereby, thereby exploring the pathogenesis of the disease and implementing cell therapy, but can also be delivered to the body via vectors and directly act on target cells to achieve in vivo gene editing.CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology in hereditary retinal diseases has been mainly used in retinitis pigmentosa, hereditary X-linked juvenile retinoschisis, and Leber congenital amaurosis 10, of which the in vitro application of CRISPR/Cas9 for Leber congenital amaurosis 10 has entered the clinical trial stage.In this paper, we reviewed the mechanism and key advances of CRISPR/Cas9 and provided an overview of gene editing in IRDs.

Research progress in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the treatment of cervical cancer / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Cervical cancer is the fourth-ranked malignant tumor of female cancer in the world, and it seriously threatens women’s health. The main treatment options for patients with cervical cancer are surgery or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. With the development of medical research, researchers are committed to exploring more effective and specific treatment options in order to increase the treatment options for cervical cancer and improve the treatment effect. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology is a method in which the Cas9 protein uses guide RNA (gRNA) to target the target gene and achieve precise editing of the target gene. At present, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has become a promising and powerful gene editing tool, a new and effective targeted therapy that has been applied in the treatment of various tumors. The research progress of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the treatment of cervical cancer is mainly reviewed in terms of action targets, combination therapy strategies, and related drug resistance gene screening in order to provide new strategies for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Engineering and application of Komagataella phaffii as a cell factory / 生物工程学报

Nowadays, engineered Komagataella phaffii plays an important role in the biosynthesis of small molecule metabolites and protein products, showing great potential and value in industrial productions. With the development and application of new editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, it has become possible to engineer K. phaffii into a cell factory with high polygenic efficiency. Here, the genetic manipulation techniques and objectives for engineering K. phaffii are first summarized. Secondly, the applications of engineered K. phaffii as a cell factory are introduced. Meanwhile, the advantages as well as disadvantages of using engineered K. phaffii as a cell factory are discussed and future engineering directions are prospected. This review aims to provide a reference for further engineering K. phaffii cell factory, which is supposed to facilitate its application in bioindustry.

A novel CRISPR/Cas9-hLacI donor adapting system for dsDNA-templated gene editing / 生物工程学报

During the gene editing process mediated by CRISPR/Cas9, precise genome editing and gene knock-in can be achieved by the homologous recombination of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) donor template. However, the low-efficiency of homologous recombination in eukaryotic cells hampers the development and application of this gene editing strategy. Here, we developed a novel CRISPR/Cas9-hLacI donor adapting system (DAS) to enhance the dsDNA-templated gene editing, taking the advantage of the specific binding of the LacI repressor protein and the LacO operator sequence derived for the Escherichia coli lactose operon. The codon-humanized LacI gene was fused as an adaptor to the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) and Staphylococcus lugdunensis Cas9 (SlugCas9-HF) genes, and the LacO operator sequence was used as the aptamer and linked to the dsDNA donor template by PCR. The Cas9 nuclease activity after the fusion and the homology-directed repair (HDR) efficiency of the LacO-linked dsDNA template were firstly examined using surrogate reporter assays with the corresponding reporter vectors. The CRISPR/Cas9-hLacI DASs mediated genome precise editing were further checked, and we achieved a high efficiency up to 30.5% of precise editing at the VEGFA locus in HEK293T cells by using the CRISPR/SlugCas9-hLacI DAS. In summary, we developed a novel CRISPR/Cas9-hLacI DAS for dsDNA-templated gene editing, which enriches the CRISPR/Cas9-derived gene editing techniques and provides a novel tool for animal molecular design breeding researches.

Application of single base editing technique in pig genetic improvement: a review / 生物工程学报

Traditional pig breeding has a long cycle and high cost, and there is an urgent need to use new technologies to revitalize the pig breeding industry. The recently emerged CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique shows great potential in pig genetic improvement, and has since become a research hotspot. Base editor is a new base editing technology developed based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system, which can achieve targeted mutation of a single base. CRISPR/Cas9 technology is easy to operate and simple to design, but it can lead to DNA double strand breaks, unstable gene structures, and random insertion and deletion of genes, which greatly restricts the application of this technique. Different from CRISPR/Cas9 technique, the single base editing technique does not produce double strand breaks. Therefore, it has higher accuracy and safety for genome editing, and is expected to advance the pig genetic breeding applications. This review summarized the working principle and shortcomings of CRISPR/Cas9 technique, the development and advantages of single base editing, the principles and application characteristics of different base editors and their applications in pig genetic improvement, with the aim to facilitate genome editing-assisted genetic breeding of pig.