Gene therapy: Safe to regrow gum tissue

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 8 (UPI) -- University of Michigan scientists say they've developed a method of gene delivery that appears safe for regenerating tooth-supporting gum tissue.

While gene therapy is an accepted, viable therapeutic concept, safety is a major hurdle, said Professor William Giannobile, who led the study. He said the most notable incident highlighting gene therapy safety occurred several years ago when a teenager died when given the adenovirus during a clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania.

Giannobile said although the University of Michigan therapy also uses the adenovirus, the big difference lies in local application and much lower dosage. Instead of injecting the genes into the blood vessels, University of Michigan scientists place the genes directly on the tissue during surgery, much like a paste.

"What the U-M study showed is (the topical method) is very well-contained and doesn't distribute throughout the body," said Giannobile. "This approach alleviates the safety concern about negative reactions within the body.

"This is the first study of periodontal disease therapy that demonstrates the distribution of these genes is very safe, suggesting that it could be used in the clinic for clinical application."

The research is to appear in the May issue of the journal Human Gene Therapy.