Chinese researcher He Jiankui told The Associated Press on November 26 that he edited the genomes of human embryos before in vitro fertilization, which resulted in the birth of two children with altered DNA. The scientific community strongly condemned the work of the scientist. An investigation has begun in the PRC, all experiments with the human genome are temporarily prohibited. RIA Novosti understands why this story could happen only in China and why it scared the whole world so much.
How it all started
Earlier this week, geneticist He Jiankui, who works at the Southern University of Science and Technology of China (Shenzhen), came to Hong Kong for the International Human Genome Editing Summit, where he was scheduled to make a presentation. Before the conference, the scientist approached the organizers and told them that he had participated in the first ever change in the DNA of human embryos.
A little later, in an interview with Associated Press, the researcher clarified that using the CRISPR / Cas9 system, he edited the genomes of embryos of seven couples during reproductive treatment. As a result of one of the pregnancies, two twin girls with altered DNA were born from a healthy mother and an HIV-infected father. He Jiankui explained that he removed the CCR5 gene from children, which gave them lifelong immunity to HIV.
The future parents were aware of his work and gave voluntary consent to participate in the experiment, the geneticist argued. He refused to name their names for ethical reasons.
How the CRISPR-Cas9 genomic editor works / Illustration by RIA Novosti. Alina Polyanina.
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He no longer works for us
Two hours after the publication of the Associated Press on the website of the Southern University of Science and Technology of China, where the scientist worked, an official statement appeared: Associate Professor He Jiankui temporarily left the post on February 2, 2018, with salary unchanged until January 2021. The university did not know about his experiments outside the institution and considers such work to be a gross violation of ethical principles and scientific practice.
Towards the evening of November 26, the State Committee of the People's Republic of China for Healthcare and Planned Childbirth announced that it considers He Jiankui's actions illegal and is starting an investigation. “The media reported the birth of genetically modified babies with AIDS immunity. The committee is closely monitoring this fact and immediately instructed the Guangdong Provincial Health Committee to conduct a thorough investigation,”the document, published on the agency's website, says.
Blow to science
He Jiankui's colleagues around the world reacted extremely negatively to the geneticist's statement. “If we can do something, it doesn't mean that we have to. CRISPR technology has tremendous potential, but Chinese CRISPR children undermine credibility in science and human life, University College London researcher Maryam Khosravi tweeted. Australian biophysicist Antoine van Oyen noted that this is a sad day for science, because He Jiankui's work violates the international moratorium on such experiments.
In the homeland of the researcher, more than a hundred scientists wrote an open letter to the government of the PRC demanding to legally restrict work with human genes. The letter was published on the evening of November 26 by the Chinese science portal Zhishi Fenzi (Intellectual) on the Weibo microblog. According to the researchers, the use of the CRISPR technique in relation to humans poses huge risks, there is nothing innovative in its application, and no one has undertaken such experiments before due to unpredictable consequences.
The reaction of the scientific world is quite expected, says Mikhail Skoblov, head of the functional analysis laboratory at the Medical Genetic Research Center.
“Now science sets a very high standard for itself. If it had happened 50 years ago, even 20 years ago, everyone would have said: what, it was possible? That's lovely! And they would start applying. But since then we have accumulated a significant number of mistakes, so the reaction is one - fear and condemnation. Before putting a drug or technology on the market, creators spend years, decades, testing. In this case, this did not happen. There were no long-term checks on model objects. The question also arises, how many experiments did He Jiankui actually do before announcing success? It can be said unambiguously: from the point where we are today in the development of technology, to the moment when genomic editing can be tried on humans, many years should pass,”the scientist said in a conversation with a reporter.
The story continues
On Wednesday, November 28, the story developed. He Jiankui made a speech at the International Summit on Human Genome Editing, where he announced that a third child with altered DNA would be born in the near future. He also talked about the details of his experiment.
Responding to accusations from the audience of “irresponsibility” and violation of ethics, the geneticist noted that “people with HIV need help, we must show compassion for the millions of families who are fighting this disease, and if we have the technology to help render earlier, then we can save more people."
Within an hour after He Jiankui's speech, slides from his presentation were circulated on the Internet, and after a while a transcript of the scientist's speech was published on social networks.
Most experts, having read the report, pointed out that the Chinese researcher thoughtlessly used CRISPR / Cas9 technology and did not calculate the side effects of genome editing. As Gaetan Bourgio, a geneticist at the Australian National University, noted on Twitter, the main problem in the case of children with altered DNA is that deletions (chromosomal rearrangements, in which a portion of the chromosome is lost) and mosaicism (the presence of genetically different cells). Therefore, it is difficult to predict how the use of this technology will turn out.
Chinese paradise for geneticists
It is not the first time that Chinese scientists have found themselves at the center of a scandal over the use of gene editing technology in humans. So, in January of this year, The Wall Street Journal, citing its sources, reported that at least 2015 in the PRC, CRISPR / Cas9 technology had been tested on cancer and HIV patients.
As a result of the experimental treatment, during which the DNA of the immune cells of the patients was edited, 15 people died. Then the Chinese scientists argued that the cause of death was the chronic diseases of the study participants, and not the treatment method used.
According to the publication, such experiments in China are possible due to the fact that it is quite easy to get permission in the country to conduct trials related to editing the human genome. Researchers at Hangzhou Cancer Hospital using genomic editing on human DNA completed this document in half a day. For comparison, in the United States, it took scientists from the University of Oregon Health and Science two years to obtain such permission to change the DNA of embryos. In 2017, they were the first in the world to edit the genome of human embryos, but did not transfer them into the uterus for further development of pregnancy.
However, soon the Chinese legislation regarding experiments with human DNA is likely to tighten. On the evening of November 29, CCTV, referring to Xu Nanping, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of China, said that the department ordered to suspend all research related to editing the DNA of embryos. In an interview with the TV channel, the official stressed that the reason for this decision was He Jiankui's statements about the birth of the first genetically modified children in history.
“The story of He Jiankui is very complicated. But, perhaps, it will become a starting point for more thorough research of the technology, the search for a safe editing method, changes in legislation, the appearance of wording that interference with the use of this technology is allowed only for specific purposes. After all, He himself in a video message condemned the use of genomic editing technology other than for medical purposes. But first of all, we must wait for the results of the investigation of this story. Still, I would like proof that the children were born and that they are healthy,”explained Mikhail Skoblov.
Alfiya Enikeeva