LONDON. Eight healthy babies have been born in the United Kingdom using a groundbreaking experimental technique that combines DNA from three individuals to prevent mothers from passing on rare and often fatal mitochondrial diseases to their children, researchers confirmed on Wednesday.
The method, pioneered by scientists at Newcastle University in the UK and Monash University in Australia, involves transferring nuclear DNA from the mother’s egg or embryo into a donor egg or embryo that contains healthy mitochondria but has had its nuclear DNA removed. The resulting embryo contains DNA from three people: the mother, the father, and a female donor, though less than 1% of the baby’s genetic material comes from the donor.
Mitochondria are energy-producing structures found outside the nucleus of cells and contain their own small amount of DNA. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA can cause severe conditions such as muscle weakness, seizures, developmental delays, organ failure, and early death. While testing during in vitro fertilization (IVF) can sometimes detect these mutations, in some cases, the risk remains uncertain.
According to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the technique, known as mitochondrial donation, was used in fertilized embryos from 22 women. So far, it has resulted in the birth of eight babies without signs of mitochondrial disease. One woman remains pregnant.
“This marks an important milestone,” said Dr. Zev Williams, director of the Columbia University Fertility Center, who was not involved in the research. “Expanding the range of reproductive options will empower more couples to pursue safe and healthy pregnancies.”
One of the eight babies was found to have slightly elevated levels of abnormal mitochondria, though not enough to cause disease, said Robin Lovell-Badge, a stem cell expert at the Francis Crick Institute. He emphasized that this level should still be monitored as the child grows.
The technique was legalized in the UK in 2016 and is also permitted in Australia, but remains prohibited in many countries, including the United States. In the UK, each case must be approved by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). So far, 35 patients have been authorized to undergo the procedure.
Dr. Andy Greenfield of the University of Oxford called the research “a triumph of scientific innovation,” noting that it is intended for a small number of women for whom other techniques, such as embryo screening, are not effective.
Critics of mitochondrial donation have raised concerns about its long-term safety and the ethical implications of altering the genetic makeup of future generations. In the U.S., Congress has repeatedly barred the FDA from reviewing applications for clinical trials involving inheritable genetic modification.
Liz Curtis, whose daughter Lily died of a mitochondrial disease in 2006, welcomed the progress. She now leads the Lily Foundation, which funds research and supports affected families. “It’s super exciting for families that don’t have much hope in their lives,” Curtis said.
Researchers and advocates remain optimistic that this technology could offer new hope to families at risk of transmitting devastating genetic conditions, provided it is used responsibly and monitored over time.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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