Gene Editing Technology Eliminates HFMD Causing Virus in Mice
August 23, 2023| |
Scientists from Singapore used gene editing to eliminate the virus that causes hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). The study demonstrates gene editing's potential to provide cures for other diseases.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a typical illness in children that is also experienced by some adults. Its usual symptoms consist of fever, blisters, and rashes. However, it can cause more serious complications like inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or death. At the moment, there is no clinically approved treatment for EV-A71, the virus causing HFMD.
To help with this issue, researchers from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) utilized adeno-associated viruses to deliver the CRISPR-Cas13 editor to clear the EV-A71 infection in mice. The CRISPR-Cas13 cut the mRNA and enteroviral RNA genome into pieces, thus eliminating the viruses.
About less than 0.1% of the EV-A71 viruses remained in the previously infected cells, thus avoiding organ damage and mortality. The technology can be used to treat ongoing infections and prevent future ones.
Read the journal article on eBioMedicine for more information.
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