From Comics to Reality: The Ethical and Scientific Frontiers of Human Genetic Enhancement

By Soha Aggarwal

First came the comics:

Jean Grey, the iconic mutant superhero, once said, “Are mutants the next link in the evolutionary chain... or simply a new species of humanity, fighting for their share of the world?"

Then came the reality:

“Within 30 years, it will probably be possible to make essentially any kind of change to any kind of genome,” says Professor Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, who shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her role in the development of CRISPR.

There are already people with genetic mutations with incredible abilities, which experiments with rats have been able to replicate.

CRISPR IMMUNE SYSTEM

 Bone Strength

Tim Dreyer of Johannesburg, South Africa, carries a mutation that makes his bones far denser than the average human, allowing him to walk away from accidents that would normally land the rest of us in an emergency room with broken bones.

Fascinated by cases like Dreyer's, scientists sought to harness the underlying biological mechanisms to benefit those suffering from osteoporosis. The researchers tried hundreds of antibodies over several years to develop a drug that blocks the protein in osteoporosis patients to help their bones grow thicker, reversing the effects of the disease. They tested the drug on mice that went into space, where bones usually lose density, and it worked well–the mice that were given the drug gained bone mineral density while those who were not lost it.

Super speed 

Researchers from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne in Switzerland knocked out the NCoR1 gene in mice. This led them to run twice as fast as normal! The NCoR1 gene encodes a protein called nuclear receptor corepressor 1 that inhibits muscle growth, so when it was knocked out, the mice grew larger muscles, denser, and had a greater number of mitochondria than their wild-type counterparts. 

Super strength

In a paper published in Nature Communications in 2016, researchers demonstrated that inhibiting the ACVR2 B gene in mice could significantly enhance muscle growth and strength. 

However, the challenge with the creation of any superhuman powers is more regulatory than scientific. To enable such superpowers, all the trillions of cells need to have the same mutations. That requires germline editing. Germline editing refers to the genetic modification of reproductive cells (sperm or eggs) or embryos that will develop into offspring. Right now, germline editing in humans is banned in most developed countries, such as the USA, European Union, and more, unless for very specific disease removal reasons. Even China tightened its regulations on this post-controversial cases of germline editing, including the well-known case of He Jiankui in 2018, where twin girls were reportedly born with edited genomes using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to confer resistance to HIV.

While genetic advances open exciting possibilities, they also raise profound ethical concerns. Unlocking superhuman traits could fundamentally alter the human experience, society, and concepts of fairness. Balancing scientific innovation with ethical responsibility will be critical as we move forward. Rather than rushing toward a future of genetically enhanced humans, we must carefully consider the long-term consequences, both for individuals and for humanity as a whole.

ETHICAL CHAIN FOR GENOMICS 

References : 

1. Malerba, A., Boldrin, L., Dickson, G., & Long, K. (2016). Inhibition of activin receptor signaling improves muscle mass and function in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy. Nature Communications, 7, 11652.

2. https://medicover-genetics.com/can-a-genetic-change-make-you-superhuman/?amp=1

3. https://www.synthego.com/blog/could-crispr-make-x-men-a-realistic-possibility#how-to-become-a-superhuman

4. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230111/Newly-discovered-CRISPR-immune-system-shuts-down-infected-cells-to-thwart-infection.aspx