Gene Therapy Disadvantages

Introduction

Gene therapy is one of the applications of the genetic engineering. It is a technique which correcting defective gene that is responsible for disease development (cited Safdar, 2010). It involves the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual 's cells and biological tissues to treat diseases. The perception of gene therapy was firstly introduced in 1960. 10 years later, Friedmann and Roblin reported their first attempt to perform gene therapy. Since then, research on gene therapy is ongoing and number of diseases treated with gene therapy has increased.

There are two types of gene therapy. The first one is germ line gene therapy which involves genetic modification in the gamete cells that would be heritable

For instance, scientists must find better ways to carry genes and target them to specific cells. In addition, there is always a concern that the viral vector, as soon as it is inside the patient, may recover its ability to cause illness. Moreover, they must make sure that new genes are exactly controlled by the body. Furthermore, our immune system is very good at fighting off outsiders such as bacteria and viruses, so gene-delivery vectors must avoid the body 's natural immune system. An unwelcome immune response could cause serious illness or sometimes death. Genes may also integrate itself into incorrect location in the genome. As a result, it may disrupt a functional gene. Multigene disorders - Conditions or disorders that arise from mutations in a single gene are the best candidates for gene therapy. Unfortunately, some the most commonly occurring disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer 's disease, arthritis, and diabetes, are caused by the combined effects of variations in many genes. Multigene or multifactorial diseases such as these would be especially hard to treat efficiently using gene