TY - JOUR
T1 - Gene therapy and enhancement for diabetes (and other diseases)
T2 - The multiplicity of considerations
AU - Bertolaso, Marta
AU - Olsson, Jenny
AU - Picardi, Antonio
AU - Rakela, Jorge
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - Gene therapy has reached the forefront of studies and research over the last 30 years because of its potential for curing, treating, and preventing diseases associated with DNA mutations. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are two examples of very common polygenic and multifactorial diseases. The huge amount of scientific literature on this topic reflects a growing general interest in the possibilities of altering our genetic heritage and thus controlling the onset of diseases associated with mutations and relative risk factors. We have focussed on the new treatment opportunities and possibility of enhancing an individual's health, physical well-being, and even an individual's behaviour through technologies specially designed for therapeutic purposes, which have been presented in literature. This historical perspective shows how this type of research, however, was immediately subjected to an ethical evaluation, especially regarding the decoding of the human genome and the questions raised by the alteration of our genetic heritage through new biotechnologies. Moreover, understanding the limitations of gene therapy protocol experiments and the multifactorial nature of many diseases, which have a genetic base, also contributes to these considerations.
AB - Gene therapy has reached the forefront of studies and research over the last 30 years because of its potential for curing, treating, and preventing diseases associated with DNA mutations. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are two examples of very common polygenic and multifactorial diseases. The huge amount of scientific literature on this topic reflects a growing general interest in the possibilities of altering our genetic heritage and thus controlling the onset of diseases associated with mutations and relative risk factors. We have focussed on the new treatment opportunities and possibility of enhancing an individual's health, physical well-being, and even an individual's behaviour through technologies specially designed for therapeutic purposes, which have been presented in literature. This historical perspective shows how this type of research, however, was immediately subjected to an ethical evaluation, especially regarding the decoding of the human genome and the questions raised by the alteration of our genetic heritage through new biotechnologies. Moreover, understanding the limitations of gene therapy protocol experiments and the multifactorial nature of many diseases, which have a genetic base, also contributes to these considerations.
KW - Biological complexity
KW - Diabetes mellitus
KW - Enhancement
KW - Ethics
KW - Gene therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78651515191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/dmrr.1116
DO - 10.1002/dmrr.1116
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20818805
AN - SCOPUS:78651515191
SN - 1520-7552
VL - 26
SP - 520
EP - 524
JO - Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews
JF - Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews
IS - 7
ER -