Bifalgorithm post

I can see! process is the methylated groups that accumulate on DNA and gradually corrupt the instructions that tell your retinal ganglion cells how to function. But with an eye to the future, David Sinclair's lab at Harvard are making a contrarian bet that the cells aren't destroyed and that the process might be reversible. Their breakthrough treatment, ER100, is built from a virus with its harmful DNA stripped out. In its place, they insert three of the four Yamanaka factors. Oct4, SOX2 and KLF4. Transcription factors that can drag an adult cell all the way back to being a stem cell. The viral vector is injected directly into the eye, where it infects retinal ganglion cells and deposits its payload. Here, the three proteins switch on the cell's own TET enzymes, proteins that move along the DNA strand and physically clip off the methyl groups one by one, restoring the cell back to its youthful self. However, in this process, if you go too far, the neuron de-differentiates and forgets it's a neuron turning back all the way into a stem cell, potentially causing a tumor. In order to stop this from happening, the three-brue programming genes are genetically engineered so that they are only active when the patient is consuming a common antibiotic called doxycyline. Although the genes will live in the ganglion cells forever, this allows scientists to selectively pulse the therapy to restore just enough youthful function without pushing the cells past the point of no return. In earlier trials in mice with optic nerve damage, ER100 increased cell survival from 18 to 54%, a three times improvement. And just last week, the first 18 human patients were dosed as part of a Phase 1 clinical trial. If those results are positive, the implication isn't just a sight for sore eyes, it's some of the first proof we might be able to wind back the hands of time. If you like science that's turning a blind eye to aging, follow for more.

I can see! process is the methylated groups that accumulate on DNA and gradually corrupt the instructions that tell your retinal ganglion cells how to function…

Ideas in this flowchart

  • I can see! process
  • Methylated groups on DNA
  • Corruption of retinal ganglion cells
  • David Sinclair's lab research
  • Contrarian bet on cell reversibility
  • ER100 treatment
  • Virus with stripped DNA
  • Insertion of Yamanaka factors
  • Oct4, SOX2, KLF4
  • Transcription factors
  • Viral vector injection
  • Infection of retinal ganglion cells
  • Activation of TET enzymes
  • Restoration of youthful cells
  • Risk of de-differentiation
  • Tumor risk
  • Genetic engineering solution
  • Doxycycline dependency
  • Selective pulsing of therapy
  • Mouse trials results
  • Cell survival improvement
  • Human clinical trial
  • Potential implications
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I can see! process is the methylated groups that accumulate on DNA and gradually corrupt the instructions that tell your retinal ganglion cells how to function. But with an eye to the future, David Sinclair's lab at Harvard are making a contrarian bet that the cells aren't destroyed and that the process might be reversible. Their breakthrough treatment, ER100, is built from a virus with its harmful DNA stripped out. In its place, they insert three of the four Yamanaka factors. Oct4, SOX2 and KLF4. Transcription factors that can drag an adult cell all the way back to being a stem cell. The viral vector is injected directly into the eye, where it infects retinal ganglion cells and deposits its payload. Here, the three proteins switch on the cell's own TET enzymes, proteins that move along the DNA strand and physically clip off the methyl groups one by one, restoring the cell back to its youthful self. However, in this process, if you go too far, the neuron de-differentiates and forgets it's a neuron turning back all the way into a stem cell, potentially causing a tumor. In order to stop this from happening, the three-brue programming genes are genetically engineered so that they are only active when the patient is consuming a common antibiotic called doxycyline. Although the genes will live in the ganglion cells forever, this allows scientists to selectively pulse the therapy to restore just enough youthful function without pushing the cells past the point of no return. In earlier trials in mice with optic nerve damage, ER100 increased cell survival from 18 to 54%, a three times improvement. And just last week, the first 18 human patients were dosed as part of a Phase 1 clinical trial. If those results are positive, the implication isn't just a sight for sore eyes, it's some of the first proof we might be able to wind back the hands of time. If you like science that's turning a blind eye to aging, follow for more.

C
Cole Hamilton
7w

"I can see! process is the methylated groups that accumulate on DNA and gradually corrupt the instructions"

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