ScienceDaily (Dec. 13, 2008)
Scientists at the University of Michigan have shown that gene therapy can be used to stop the development of gum disease such as periodontal disease. Gene therapy has not been used in non-life threatening disease. They were the first to use gene transfer to show potential in treating chronic conditions. The Seattle-based biotechnology company Targeted Genetics had carried out a human trial and the results showed that the same gene therapy approach had positive affects in human patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
An inactivated virus was used to produce more of a molecule called tumour necrosis factor receptor in certain cells. It is able to reduce the excessive levels of tumour necrosis factor which is a molecule known to cause bone destruction such as rheumatoid arthritis, joint deterioration and periodotitis. The periodontal tissues were spared from destruction by more than 60 to 80 percent with the use of gene therapy and the delivered gene keeps producing in the cells for a very long period of time.
Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211081448.htm
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