World’s first ‘three-parent baby’ concieved using controversial IVF technique is born
The baby boy, created using DNA from three parents, was born in Mexico five months ago
The world's first baby has been born using a new controversial three-parent technique, it emerged today.
The baby boy, .
The baby boy was born five months ago after his parents, who are from Jordan, were treated by a team of American specialists in Mexico.
He was conceived using an egg containing nuclear DNA from his mother and father, and mitochondrial DNA from a second woman - an unknown female donor.
The controversial technique, known as mitochondrial donation, is a form of IVF that allows parents affected by rare genetic diseases to have healthy babies.
It involves taking the DNA out of a woman's egg that has faulty genes and transferring it to a donor egg with healthy mitochondria.
Because the nucleus from the mother's egg is used in the process, the technique does not affect the baby's appearance, personality or any other features that make a person unique.
HOW DOES THIS NEW TECHNIQUE WORK?
Mitochondria are small structures found in our cells.
They generate energy that is used to power every part of our body.
Mitochondria have their own DNA, which only controls mitochondrial function and energy production, according to the Wellcome Trust.
This is completely separate from our nuclear DNA, which is what makes us who we are, governing our appearance and personality.
Mitochondrial disease can be fatal, affecting multiple organs.
It includes diabetes, heart problems, epilepsy and stroke-like incidents, and in serious cases death.
Mitochondrial DNA disease is passed from mother to baby.
The new mitochondrial donation technique, uses DNA from the mitochondria of a healthy donor, the nucleus of a mother's egg and a father's sperm to create an embryo.
The technique allows for those women who carry potentially fatal genetic mutations to have healthy babies.
As the nuclear DNA is not altered, mitochondrial donation will not affect a child's appearance or personality or any other features that make a person unique.
It simply allows for a child to be free of mitochondrial disease.
Source: The Wellcome Trust
It simply allows the mitochondria - which only controls energy production - to function normally, allowing a child to be born free of mitochondrial disease, which can prove fatal.
Dr Dusko Ilic, from King's College London, who was not involved in the treatment has hailed the birth a revolutionary step.
He told the New Scientist: "This is great news and a huge deal. It's revolutionary."
He added: "The baby is reportedly healthy; hopefully, this will tame the more zealous critics, accelerate the field, and we will witness soon a birth of the first mitochondrial donation baby in the UK."
Professor Bert Smeets, from Maastricht Univeristy, echoed the excitement.
"At last, the first child of a mother with a mtDNA mutation is born after mitochondrial donation.
"The safety of the method had already been quite convincingly demonstrated by the Newcastle group in the UK and introduction into the clinic would only be a matter of time. Obviously, dependent on national regulation or the absence of it."
The infant's parents sought the help of experts in the field of mitochondrial donation, in a bid to eradicate rare genetic mutations that cause the condition Leigh syndrome.
It is a rare, and often fatal condition that affects the central nervous system - the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve.
Infants are often diagnosed between the ages of three months and two years old, and typically suffer loss of previously gained motor skills, a loss of appetite, vomiting, irritability and seizures.
They can also face severe respiratory and kidney problems.
The boy's mother carries genes for Leigh syndrome - genes which are found in the DNA, in the mitochondria.
The mitochondria - described as the batteries that give all our cells energy - contains genes which are passed down from mother to baby.
This is great news and a huge deal. It’s revolutionary
Dr Dusko Ilic, from King’s College London
As a result, there is a high risk the baby's mother could pass on the faulty DNA to her children.
Doctors who treated the 36-year-old noted she had previously suffered four miscarriages and lost two children, one at eight months old and the other at six years, to Leigh syndrome.
In a report into her case, Dr John Zhang and his team from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York, reveal around a quarter of the mother's mitochondria carry the genetic mutation responsible for causing Leigh syndrome.
Earlier this year the UK became the first country in the world to allow the controversial three-parent technique, following a historic vote by MPs.
At the time of the Commons vote, church leaders and other campaigners opposed the controversial move, warning it was the start of a “slippery slope” towards designer babies.
In the UK a specific form of mitochondrial donation was approved, known as the pronuclear transfer.
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This involves scientists fertilising both the mother's egg and a donor egg with the father's sperm.
The nucleus from both eggs are then removed - with the donor egg's nucleus being discarded and the mother's egg nucleus inserted into the donor egg - containing the healthy mitochondria.
The mitochondria has its own DNA that only controls mitochondrial function and energy production.
The nucleus in contrast contains our nuclear DNA, which is what makes us who we are, and determines our appearance and personality.
However, the New Scientists reports that due to the parents' religious beliefs as Muslims, this method was not possible, because it resulted in the destruction of two embryos.
As a result Dr Zhang's team used a different approach.
Instead the scientists removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs.
It was then inserted into the donor egg, which was then fertilised using the father's sperm.
Dr Zhang's team created five embryos using this technique, one of which survived and was implanted into the boy's mother.
The news of the boy's birth has provoked mixed reactions from the world's scientific community.
Some have hailed the live birth of a baby using the new treatment a significant breakthrough, while others have urged caution.
Professor Justin St John from Monash University criticised the investigators for not submitting their case study for full peer review before publishing the details.
Dr Zhang and his team are due to present their findings at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's Scientific Congress next month.
If all the validations are sound, this represents a first for the treatment of some very serious disorders. However, extensive monitoring will be required as there has been limited testing of this technology in appropriate animal models
Professor Justin St John, Monash University
Professor St John said: "As this technology is controversial and a world first, I think the investigators should have submitted a manuscript for full peer review instead of announcing these outcomes in this manner.
"The review process would have ensured complete validation of the data and provided a tested platform from which to conduct a debate about the degree of achievement.
"As it now stands, there will be much conjecture."
He added: "Nevertheless, if all the validations are sound, this represents a first for the treatment of some very serious disorders.
"However, extensive monitoring will be required as there has been limited testing of this technology in appropriate animal models."
Furthermore concerns have been raised over the fact Dr Zhang and his team travelled from the US, where the technique is not permitted, to Mexico where there are no rules surrounding mitochondrial donation.
Dr Ilic from Kings College London, said: "Some questions remain.
"By performing the treatment in Mexico, the team were not subject to the same stringent regulation as some other countries would insist on.
"We have no way of knowing how skillful or prepared they were, and this may have been a risky thing to do.
"On the other hand, we have what appears to be a healthy baby. Because it was successful, fewer questions will be raised but it is important that we still ask them."
Last year the House of Lords approved legislation to allow IVF involving mitochondrial replacement, making the UK the first country in the world to explicitly approve the procedure.
However, strict controls remain in force and scientists wishing to follow in Dr Zhang's footsteps would first have to obtain permission from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Dr Zhang's findings are published in the journal , and will be presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine's meeting on October 19.