<story><title>An epigenetic editor to silence genes</title><url>https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq3334</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>A_D_E_P_T</author><text>Of course it&amp;#x27;s possible to use this sort of therapy to prevent disease, by knocking out single genes associated with the development of disease.&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#x27;s just as possible to silence single genes that, when silenced, may elicit substantial positive effects in healthy adults.  Part of George Church&amp;#x27;s list, by no means comprehensive, is:&lt;p&gt;MSTN -&amp;#x2F;- Lean muscle growth&lt;p&gt;SCN9A -&amp;#x2F;- Insensitivity to pain&lt;p&gt;ABCC11 -&amp;#x2F;- Low Odor production&lt;p&gt;CCR5, FUT2 -&amp;#x2F;- Virus resistance&lt;p&gt;PCSK9 -&amp;#x2F;- Low coronary disease&lt;p&gt;SLC30A8 -&amp;#x2F;+ Low T2 Diabetes&lt;p&gt;There are many others. Knocking out ACTN3, for instance, might remodel skeletal muscle for better endurance performance, and certain athletes don&amp;#x27;t express the gene.</text></comment>
<story><title>An epigenetic editor to silence genes</title><url>https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq3334</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>flobosg</author><text>I was reminded of this comment exchange from last May: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&amp;#x2F;item?id=40439379#40440171&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&amp;#x2F;item?id=40439379#40440171&lt;/a&gt;. TIL that, according to this paper, antisense treatment in the brain has some drawbacks:&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; Treatment of mice with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting the &lt;i&gt;Prnp&lt;/i&gt; transcript decreases expression of PrP and extends the survival of mice previously infected with misfolded PrP (6); however, the limited efficacy of ASOs and the requirement for chronic intrathecal dosing highlight the need for a more potent therapy.</text></comment>