Gene therapies : hopes and realities

Since the discovery of the structure of double-stranded DNA in 1954 and the sequencing of the human genome, genetics has become essential to the understanding of diseases and the development of new therapies. In less than 15 years, the cost of sequencing a given individual's DNA has become low enough that genetic analysis will soon be as much a part of the information available to everyone as blood type. Genetic diseases can now be perfectly identified, making it easier to develop appropriate treatments. Beyond genetic diseases, gene therapy is extending to the treatment of cancer, heart disease and viral infections. These three areas account for 80% of current clinical trials. The various viral and non-viral methods of gene transfer were examined. The contribution of interfering RNAs in this field was also discussed. Among the difficulties encountered in gene therapy, it should be noted that the insertion of a gene into a chromosome is random, and can in some cases lead to aberrant expression of a neighboring gene.