Greenhouse Grown Corn Can Treat Childhood Genetic Disease

The greenhouse grown corn seeds can be used in treating rare life threatening childhood genetic disease. This study was done by the researchers from the Simon Fraser University.

The childhood genetic disorders are triggered due to the mutations or defects in the genes passed on to children from parents.

The SFU biologist Allison Kermode and her team have been carrying out multidisciplinary research to develop enzyme therapeutics for treating lysosomal storage diseases. Lysosomal storage disease is a rare inherited disorder that occurs due to defects in lysosomal function. It is rare but devastating childhood genetic diseases for more than a decade.

According to the report, the enzyme treatments are available for only six of the more than 70 diverse types of lysosomal storage diseases.

"In part because mammalian cell cultures have been the system of choice to produce these therapeutics, the enzymes are extremely costly to make, with treatments typically ranging from $300,000 to $500,000 per year for children, with even higher costs for adults," says Kermode, noting the strain on healthcare budgets in Canada and other countries is becoming an issue.

According to research published in this week's Nature's Communication, "Greenhouse-grown maize may become a platform for making alpha-L-iduronidase, an enzyme used to treat the lysosomal storage disease known as mucopolysaccharidosis I."

These findings will give a different perspective on how these enzymes are made also cut the cost of treating patients.