They manage to edit the genome in the cells of the walls of the blood vessels

The development of a new nanoparticle has made it possible to apply gene editing, including CRISPR / Cas9, to endothelial cells, which are those that line the inside of the walls of blood vessels, in mice, which has great potential to treat some diseases.

Research carried out with a mouse model is the first to reach vascular endothelial cells, since the usual way of administering CRISPR / Cas-9 through a virus does not work for these types of cells.

The advance was made by a team led by the Institute of Stanley Manne Children’s Research, Chicago (USA), who published their results in Cell Reports.

The lead author of the study, Youyang Zhao, noted that this nanoparticle is “A powerful new delivery system for genome editing in vascular endothelial cells and could be used to treat many diseases, including severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.”

With it, genes can be introduced to inhibit vascular injury and / or promote vascular repair, correct genetic mutations, and turn genes on or off to restore normal function.

It also allows multiple genes to be edited at the same time, added Zhao, who considered that “This is an important advance in treating any disease caused by endothelial dysfunction”, which is at the origin of diseases such as coronary artery disease, stroke, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Zhao noted that genome editing in endothelial cells “It could even treat cancers by cutting off the blood supply to the tumor or blocking cancer metastasis”.

The research was carried out in a mouse model and the CRISPR / Cas9 plasmid DNA-bearing nanoparticle was introduced through a single intravenous injection, which took a few days to be effective. Before clinical trials can begin, other tests will need to be performed.

Source: EFE