This Wednesday, scientists reported that they genetically modified the stem cells and raised the skinto save the life of 7-year-old boy suffering from a disease known as slimy epidermolise bullosa in which the skin becomes vulnerable to external factors. This is a truly significant achievement in the field of medicine, which can simplify the treatment of burns and skin diseases.
In 2015, doctors found the boy had a «full epidural loss» − about 60% of the body surface. At the time the child was on morphine and fought for life with the infection Staphylococcus. All attempts of doctors to help the patient, antibiotics, bandaging, donor skin of his father, did not succeed. Tobias Hirsch, one of the attending physicians, said that doctors were doing everything possible to save the child’s life. He and his colleague Tobias Rotert studied medical literature on the topic and came across an article describing the procedure of genetic modification of skin cells. They contacted the author, Michael De Luca, who immediately joined the treatment.
The scientist collected cells intact skin of the boy and transformed them in the laboratory. The cells now contain the gene that caused the disease. For the transplantation laboratory of leather that covered almost 80% of the body, it took 3 operations. Then followed 8 months of observation of the child’s recovery in the ICU.
The skin is completely stuck. As stated by scientists, it appeared the hair follicles, bumps and bruises heal properly. Unlike traditional skin grafts, which should be lubricated once or twice a day, the new boy’s skin was fully functional and without ointments. «The epidermis looks normal. We do not observe much difference,» said De Luca. It is expected that the skin will serve the owner of «his life».
Hassan was born with the life threatening genetic skin condition EB. Now the faulty DNA has been repaired in the lab and his skin grafted back in a series of operations: https://t.co/oXlWub2TzU pic.twitter.com/ZGhI3r8LgC
— Fergus Walsh (@BBCFergusWalsh) November 8, 2017
This case «demonstrates that there is a way to safely replace the epidermis with the use of combined stem cell and gene therapy», and also provides insight into the regeneration of the skin at the cellular level.
However, in the case of wounds received as a result of fires or other violent acts, not so smooth. When the disease of the boy, the epidermis was damaged, but the layer underneath, the dermis, and were healthy and functional. But if the victim has damaged the deeper layers of the skin, there is a high risk of rejection.
Meanwhile the boy for the first time in many years, not on any meds. Doctors still monitor his condition, but as stated Rochet, «the child returned to school, plays football and spends time with friends.»
