Monday, November 28, 2011

Sickle cell disease cured by gene knock-out

Switching off a single gene can help treat sickle cell disease by keeping the blood forever young. The illness is caused by a mutant form of adult haemoglobin, but not by fetal haemoglobin. Targeting BCL11A, the gene responsible for the body's switch-over from fetal to adult haemoglobin, effectively eliminates the condition in mice.

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