Tay Sach Disease

Tay Sachs disease is an inheritance diseases caused by a defective gene in chromosome 15 and is incurable University of Maryland. Chromosome 15 is responsible for the making of the enzyme hexosaminidase A (breaks down large lipids), which is used to regulate the amount of lipid called ganglioside in the brain University of Maryland. Without this enzyme to help regulate ganglioside, ganglioside builds up in the brain causing damage to brain cells which cannot be repaired Mamahealth.Com. Though, signs of Tay Sachs disease is not visible till the child is 3 to 6 months old, though the build up of ganglioside starts early in pregnancy Mamahealth.Com. The first visible sign of Tay Sachs disease is the improper development of physical of the muscle as the child become less alert and loses strength. As the disease develops, the child experiences deafness, blindness, severe constipations and seizures. NCBI Furthermore, the child becomes paralyzed, loses all sense of control and is non-responsive to their environment before their eventual death BBC. A child can possible live up to 5 years with this disease.

There is no cure for disease as stated already; however, premarital and prenatal screening can be done to find out who is carrying the gene for Tay Sachs disease BBC Team. Tray Sachs is a recessive gene, meaning it takes 2 carriers for a child to have Tay Sachs disease BBC Team. This means that the child has 25% chance of having the disease and 50% chance of been a carrier BBC Team. Tay Sachs disease is a sensitive topic in the Jewish community, as that is the population it has affected most BBC Team. Tay Sachs disease raises many ethical questions; however, the biggest maybe, should study in genetic engineering be developed and used to somehow cure this disease which would remove the psychological damages that this disease has? Premarital screenings checks to see if a person is carrying the gene for Tay Sachs disease by doing several tests Raffles Medical Group. If both male and female are known to be carriers, then the couple could be discouraged to marry. Prenatal screening can be done to see if a baby in a womb has the diseases BBC Team. If the results are positive, abortion is an option. Both option leaves people with no choice and raises many questions. Should a couple have to suffer and be told they cannot marry? Or should people who want to have children, have to abort their child? Abortion in itself is a very debatable topic as some people consider it murder; though, it is known that if the child has Tay Sachs disease and will eventual die? Or should parents be considered responsible for the death of a child because it was known to them that they baby would have Tay Sachs disease? As seen, premarital and prenatal screenings are not the answer to this cure.

Though genetic engineering has its own ethical issues, it can be used cure inheritable diseases like Tay Sachs. The 2 techniques that can be used are gene editing or gene addition which would override the defective gene or compensate for it (which in this case means giving the ability to produce hexosaminidase A) Genome Editing. The Institut Pasteur, a non-funded private organization, is trying to use gene editing and addition for Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome Genome Editing. Wiskott Aldrich System is a deficiency in the X-chromosomes, and if the research done proves to find new grounds or a cure for it, then scientist can do the same for Tay Sachs disease Genome Editing.
Genome editing could be mankind’s hope to curing inheritable diseases such as Tay Sachs disease. It would propel medical science to a new level and allow couples to give birth to a baby that will be healthy and free of diseases. Giving the gift of life has been one of humans greatest gift, so why make ruin it by taking it away from those less fortunate.

Bibliography

“Tay Sachs Disease.” University of Maryland. 29 Apr. 2008 .
“Tay Sachs Disease.” NCBI. 29 Apr. 2008 .
“Pre-Marital Screening.” Raffles Medical Group. 29 Apr. 2008 .
Davis, Brian R. “Genome Editing.” Institut Pasteur. 29 Apr. 2008 www.pasteur.fr/applications/euroconf/geneandcelltherapy/22_Davis_abstract.pdf
“Tay-Sachs Disease.” Mamahealth.Com. 29 Apr. 2008 .
“Tay-Sachs Disease.” 24 May 2004. BBC. 29 Apr. 2008 .
“Genetic Engineering.” BBC Team. 29 Apr. 2008 .