Because RNA are so at the heart of our biology, they are also engines of a wide range of diseases. Defects in how RNA is produced and treated can cause cancer, degenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and autoimmune diseases. RNA viruses, such as HIV, flu or Sarscov2, also divert our cell machinery to cause a disease.
“When the underlying machines do not work in our cells, the resulting problems are enormous,” said Yeo. “But that also means that we have many opportunities to take advantage of RNA to treat disease and support human health.”
Put the RNA at work
According to many researchers, we are currently in the middle of A RNA revolutionScientists from around the world turning their gaze to these tiny molecules for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
A disease that Yeo has made progress in understanding and treatment is type 1 myotonic muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder which slowly degrades muscles and other organs. One of the engines of this disease is the expression of “toxic” RNA molecules in cells, but Yeo and his group have discovered that these toxic RNAs can be eliminated using gene therapies targeting RNA.
This approach could, according to Yeo, lead not only remedies to remedies for this particular disease, but could also be applicable to a wide range of diseases affecting millions of people in the world. That said, it will take more research to fully unlock this potential.