Some Patients May Have Existing Immunity To CRISPR Gene Editing Therapies, Research Finds
The study could be another snag for CRISPR-based therapies but scientists not involved with the research said its findings, if substantiated, could be worked around. In other public health news: alcohol abuse, stomach reduction surgery, autism and sleep talking.
Stat:
CRISPR Hits A Snag: Our Immune Systems May Attack The Treatment
A new paper points to a previously unknown hurdle for scientists racing to develop therapies using the revolutionary genome-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9: the human immune system. In a study posted Friday on the preprint site bioRxiv, researchers reported that many people have existing immune proteins and cells primed to target the Cas9 proteins included in CRISPR complexes. That means those patients might be immune to CRISPR-based therapies or vulnerable to dangerous side effects — the latter being especially concerning as CRISPR treatments move closer to clinical trials. (Joseph, 1/8)
NPR:
Alcohol A Problem? This Tool Helps Assess Risk And Find Help
The thinking about problem drinking and alcoholism has changed. It's no longer considered a black-and-white, you have it or you don't condition. "We now know that there's a full spectrum in alcohol use disorder," says George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohohlism, part of the National Institutes of Health. You can have a mild, moderate or severe problem. And there's not a one-sized fits all approach to getting help. (Aubrey, 1/8)
NPR:
Stomach Reduction Surgery Benefits Severely Obese Teens
After three years, teens with severe obesity who underwent stomach reduction surgery to lose weight also significantly improved their heart health. A study published Monday in Pediatrics shows that blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation and insulin levels all improved, particularly among those who lost the most weight. "The potential impact of such risk reduction translates into a reduced likelihood of developing significant heart disease later in life, including atherosclerosis, heart failure and stroke," says study author Marc Michalsky, surgical director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, in an email. (Haelle, 1/8)
USA Today:
Autistic Boy's Drowning Is Now A Lesson For First Responders
Shalom Lawson, an 8-year-old Louisville boy who loved hugging people he just met, wandered from a relative's home last summer and drowned. He had autism, a disorder that causes many children to walk off. "Elopers,"as they are called, are especially drawn to water and are unaware of the risks. "Water makes them feel calm, but water is very, very dangerous," said Shalom's mother, Magdalene Lawson, who came to America from West Africa with her husband, Charles. (Warren, 1/5)
The Washington Post:
Why Do People Talk, And Even Curse, In Their Sleep?
Worried you might say something you regret when talking in your sleep? Your concerns may be justified: According to a recent study from France, your midnight mumblings may be more negative and insulting than what you say while awake. In the study, researchers found that sleep talkers said the word “no” four times as often in their sleep as when awake. And the f-word popped up during sleep talking more than 800 times more frequently than while awake. (Edison, 1/7)
