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Human DNA could be edited to cure genetic diseases such as progeria, which cause sufferers to age so quickly that they die in their teens.
Scientists at Harvard University say they have developed a "basic editor" - or enzymes - that can cut out and replace faulty genes.
The bodies will then begin functioning normally, they said, as the treated cells will use the edited DNA.
Studies on animals suffering from progeria or sickle cell anemia found that the animals were cured after the injection. It still needs to be tested on humans.
Dr. James Liu, a geneticist who developed the tool, said it could be used for people like progeria patient Adalia Rose, who died this year at just 15 years old.
Scientists at Harvard University say they have developed a “basic editor” that can cut out and replace faulty genes. It still needs to be tested on humans (archive image)
Dr. James Liu, a geneticist who developed it, said the device could be used to help patients like Adalia Rose (pictured), who died aged 15 from the genetic disorder progeria, which causes the body to age quickly and not grow normally
Progeria is a very rare genetic disorder, with up to 300 cases estimated to be known throughout the United States.
It is caused by a single mutation in DNA that causes rapid aging and developmental problems in the first few months of life. Those affected rarely live beyond their teenage years.
Dr. Liu said he hopes human trials can begin to determine whether his device can help patients with the disease.
He said CNN: “Basic editors are like pencils that precisely correct letters [in the DNA] by changing them to one of four different letters.
“We have to be very careful to ensure that all of these different technologies go through clinical trials.
“But if they prove safe and effective, one could imagine treating not just rare misspellings that cause serious genetic diseases, but perhaps even treating gene variants that we know contribute to terrible diseases like Alzheimer’s.”
He suggested the treatment could also be used for other patients with genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia - when red blood cells do not form properly.
Yesteryear The team of Dr. Liu treated mice that had progeria from human patients 14 days after birth.
About 90 percent saw muscle cells recover after the injection and their lifespan doubled.
The technology was also tested on mice suffering from sickle cell anemia, and again 16 weeks later, scientists said 80 percent of the mice given the vaccine had improved greatly.
Rose, from Texas, was diagnosed with progeria when she was just three months old.
But as she grew up, she became famous on social media, amassing nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube alone.
In January, her family said she died as a result of her condition.
She reached two years longer than the average life expectancy for someone suffering from the disease.