Chroniques génomiques - Les pièges de l’amélioration
Résumé
Inactivation of the CCR5 gene by CRISPR editing in human
embryos, as recently attempted in China, was touted as a positive change for the
babies involved since it was expected to impart resistance to HIV infection.
However, it turns out that the absence of CCR5 is not neutral
but actually decreases fitness, as shown by survival analysis of population data
in the UK biobank. This underlines the pitfalls of genetic enhancement, and
emphasizes that any germline modification must be preceded by in-depth studies
to exclude unforeseen negative effects.
Pour citer ce document
Jordan, Bertrand ; Les pièges de l’amélioration : Chroniques génomiques, Med Sci (Paris), Vol. 35, N° 8-9 ; p. 709-711 ; DOI : 10.1051/medsci/2019136