The Impact of CRISPR-Cas9 on Age-related Disorders: From Pathology to Therapy.

With advances in medical technology, the number of people over the age of 60 is on the rise, and thus, increasing the prevalence of age-related pathologies within the aging population. Neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, metabolic and inflammatory diseases are some of the most prevalent age-related pathologies affecting the growing population. It is imperative that a new treatment to combat these pathologies be developed. Although, still in its infancy, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has become a potent gene-editing tool capable of correcting gene-mediated age-related pathology, and therefore ameliorating or eliminating disease symptoms. Deleting target genes using the CRISPR-Cas9 system or correcting for gene mutations may ameliorate many different neurodegenerative disorders detected in the aging population. Cancer cells targeted by the CRISPR-Cas9 system may result in an increased sensitivity to chemotherapeutics, lower proliferation, and higher cancer cell death. Finally, reducing gene targeting inflammatory molecules production through microRNA knockout holds promise as a therapeutic strategy for both arthritis and inflammation. Here we present a review based on how the expanding world of genome editing can be applied to disorders and diseases affecting the aging population.

Latest trends in drugs of abuse - HIV infection and neuroAIDS.

Drug abuse and co-occurring infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In particular, HIV infection is associated with serious neurological complications, including neuroAIDS. Therefore, on 13-15 September 2012, the OMICS Group (USA) and Shailendra K Saxena (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, India) hosted a symposium titled: 'Drugs of Abuse - HIV Infection and NeuroAIDS: A Global Perspective' that was cochaired by Jag H Khalsa and Jeymohan Joseph of the NIH, MD, USA, at the 3rd World Congress on Biotechnology, in Hyderabad, India. Renowned scientists from India and the USA highlighted a number of issues, including the epidemiology, causes and underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of neuroAIDS, impact on health, and designing new treatment modalities (e.g., nanotherapeutics) for the treatment of neurological disorders.