Three-person babies IVF technique 'safe'

Sat, Jun 11th 2016, 08:09 AM


Early pronuclear transfer: The nuclei from a recently created embryo - from the egg and sperm - being injected into a donor embryo which has had its nucleus removed.

The use of an IVF technique involving DNA from three people to create a baby has moved a step closer with a study that shows it is safe.

Scientists at Newcastle University are trying to help women who are at risk of passing on serious genetic disorders to have a healthy child.

Last year the UK approved laws to permit the procedure, which involves using donor DNA from a second woman.

The study in Nature found the technique will lead to normal pregnancies.

The process, known as "early pronuclear transfer" involves removing the parents' key genetic material from an embryo within hours of fertilisation, leaving behind the woman's faulty mitochondria.

The parental DNA, which contains all the key genes responsible for character and appearance, is then transferred into a donor woman's embryo, which has its nucleus removed but contains healthy mitochondria.

Last year the UK became the first country to approve laws to permit the procedure.

A study involving more than 500 eggs from 64 donor women found that the new procedure did not adversely affect embryo development and significantly reduced the amount of faulty mitochondria being passed on.

Prof. Doug Turnbull, director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Disease at Newcastle University and a co-author of the study, said: "This study using normal human eggs is a major advance in our work towards preventing transmission of mitochondrial DNA disease."

Prof. Mary Herbert, also from the centre, added: "We are optimistic that the technique we have developed will offer affected women the possibility of reducing the risk of transmitting mitochondrial DNA to their children".

But the studies showed the technique was not always successful. The amount of faulty mitochondrial DNA transferred during the procedure was less than 2%.

However, one in five of the stem cell lines created from the embryos showed an increase in carryover of defective DNA from the original embryo.

Prof. Turnbull said: "Our studies on stem cells does express a cautionary note that it might not be 100% efficient in preventing transmission, but for many women who carry these mutations the risk is far less than conceiving naturally."

Mother to child
Mitochondria are tiny structures which sit outside the nucleus of the cell and convert food into useable energy.

Genetic faults in the mitochondrial DNA mean the body has insufficient energy for key functions. This can cause a huge range of serious illnesses including muscle weakness, hearing loss and multiple organ failure.

The structures are always passed on from mother to child and have their own small amount of DNA, but it does not affect appearance or personality.

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By Fergus Walsh

Source: BBC News

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