One tiny allele causing Psoriasis?

42058485 Sophie Black

Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects many people all over the world causing red, inflamed skin and often, reducing the sufferer’s quality of life. Scientists at the University of Michigan have made a recent discovery that suggests that a common genetic variation could be one of the complex causes of psoriasis.

 Psoriasis is often a result from a throat infection, where the body activates the immune system to fight off the infection. However, once the infection is cleared, the immune system continues on, and begins attacking the body’s skin cells. 

The researchers found that a particular allele of the gene HLA-C, located on chromosome 6, could lead to the development of psoriasis. The HLA-C gene is one of several that regulate how infections are fought off by the body’s immune system. The allele PSORS1 was isolated as the cause gene by haplotype mapping and comparing the genes of people suffering from the disorder with those not suffering.

 Currently, treatment for severe psoriasis includes very potent drugs that turn off the body’s immune system, leaving the body very susceptible to other infections. This discovery means that instead of shutting down the entire immune system, only parts of it would have to be turned off to treat psoriasis, which would decrease the body’s risk of infection.

 References:

s        Original article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060317114811.htm  (accessed 22 April 2009)

s        Additional information:

http://dermatology.about.com/od/psoriasisbasics/a/psorcause.htm (accessed 22 April 2009)

Safe Genetically Engineered Plants

As we all know, there are a number of genetically engineered plants in the marketplace and people have been worried about whether they are really safe to eat. The most widespread transgenic plants are soybean and canola, which are herbicide resistant, and corn and cotton, which are insect resistant. Soon there are going to be transgenic plants approaching the market that produce vaccines, pharmaceutical proteins and fortified food. Although the introduction of new genes into a plant can sometimes have unknown effects, there are ways to avoid this as well as some others that are actively being researched.
The public doesn’t really have any cause for concern, because a new GM plant has to go though a lot of tests and procedures to make sure it doesn’t have any side affects. They are currently researching ways of using alternative, safer selectable genes, directing the gene integration onto specific genomic sites and many other things. Along with what we are already doing to make GM plants safe, these methods that are being researched will almost guarantee that the genetically engineered plants will be safe.

(Tobacco plant expressing firefly gene)

(Genetically engineered cotton )

Site Accessed:
http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0953-8984/19/39/395005