Researchers have found a safer way to revert adult mouse cells to an embryonic state. The new technique, avoids using viruses that alter the cells’ DNA, a major goal among stem-cell researchers since these DNA mutations can lead to cancer.Such cells could sidestep the controversy about therapies based on embryonic stem cells, because the embryonic-like cells can be made from a person’s skin or blood cells without creating or destroying an embryo. Coaxing these reprogrammed cells into for example, fresh heart or pancreas cells for transplantation back into the patient could offer new, personalized ways to treat ailments such as heart disease and diabetes.
Until now, reprogramming adult cells in lab dishes required infecting the cells with viruses that carry the four reprogramming genes. Although the scientists cripple the viruses so that they can’t replicate, the viruses can still insert these four genes directly into the cells’ DNA at random locations. These willy-nilly changes to the cells’ DNA could disrupt the cells’ own genes, occasionally in ways that cause the cells to grow out of control and form a tumor. In addition to this risk, any process that alters a cell’s DNA complicates government approval for medical use.
The new technique solves these problems by using a different kind of virus that does not alter the cells’ genetic code, and this is a great advantage for the whole process.
