Genetic alteration passed to next generation: "...engineering humans more tempting than ever"

[Beth von Gunten <colibri@west.net>]

NEW SCIENTIST

We have the power [sic]

A safer [sic] way of altering genes will make engineering humans more
tempting than ever

MICE ENGINEERED TO CARRY an extra artificial chromosome have
successfully passed it to their offspring. Although the Canadian
company responsible has no intention of repeating the experiments in
people, its work shows that human germline gene therapy--making
genetic changes that will be inherited by future generations--is
becoming a practical possibility.

Chromos Molecular Systems of Burnaby, British Columbia, reported the
breakthrough this week in London at a conference on biotechnology.
"It's the first time an artificial chromosome has ever been shown to
be inherited in any mammal," says Eileen Utterson, vice-president of
corporate development. Chromos plans to use the technology to create
herds of genetically modified animals whose milk will contain
pharmaceuticals.

Full text:
http://www.newscientist.co.uk/ns/19991023/newsstory6.html


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Exerpts from B i o N e w s  035, Week 15/11/99 - 21/11/99

GENE THERAPY INHERITANCE:

Scientists were astonished to recently discover that a therapeutic
gene delivered to rats in a gene therapy experiment appeared to
affect subsequent generations.
      A US government panel that oversees gene therapy considers the
possibility of somatic gene therapy inadvertently contaminating sperm
and eggs to be negligible. But Mohan Raizada and colleagues at the
University of Florida in Gainesville announced they had delivered a
therapeutic gene into the hearts of rats predisposed to high blood
pressure, and that these rats and two subsequent generations appeared
to be protected from hypertension.
      However, many experts voiced doubts over the announcement.
Theodore Friedmann, director of the human gene therapy programme at
the University of California in San Diego said that it would have
been impressive if even a few viruses travelled from the heart to the
gonads, but  said that the idea that all the offspring inherited the
therapeutic gene seemed inconceivable. Eric Parens, a bioethicist at
the Hastings Center in New York, added that, 'If these results are
true, they would be a step forward for researchers who are interested
in germline gene therapies, but a step back for those opposed to
them'.
    - New Scientist 20/11/99 'Chance inheritance'
    - The Daily Telegraph 18/11/99 'Rats inherit GM cure'
    - The Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=001190634958640&rtmo=aNa2NaeL&atmo
=FFFFFFFX&pg=/et/99/11/18/ecnrat18.html

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