Columbia University Study Reveals Limits of Precise Gene Editing in Human Embryos
A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has found that while advanced gene-editing techniques can accurately modify genes in human embryos, they also carry significant risks that currently preclude their clinical use. The study, published in Nature, utilized base editing, a newer method that acts like a 'pencil with an eraser' to change single DNA letters, to correct mutations in genes linked to high cholesterol (PCSK9) and blood disorders (HBG1 and HBG2). When applied to fertilized eggs before the first cell division, base editing successfully modified the genome, and these changes persisted in all daughter cells of the resulting embryo. However, the researchers observed that base editing also generated unpredictable alterations, including large chromosomal deletions, albeit less frequently than with older CRISPR methods. Additionally, the base editor caused changes at unintended sites in the genome as the embryo developed, leading to a mosaic of ...
