Is it possible that patients that got gene therapy may pass the engineered genes to their next generation?
e.g, the virus gene therapy, deliver some genes to human body. Will the human pass some engineered genes to his descendent?
This possibility persists as long as we do not have a comprehensive briefing on gene function! For example, the transportable elements are a clear evidence to the kinetics genome!
Regards.
It would probably depend on targeting efficiency and specificity of your viral vector. As most gene therapies are given into the blood stream or injected in close proximity to the targeted organ or tissues, off-target effects are reported in the liver. To my knowledge off-target effects are not known, or have not been investigated, in the reproductive system.
Nothing impossible but very unlikely.
It is mosty a theoretical question as gene therapy to "cure" is not today a very used approach (with exceptions of course)
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Virus