Researchers have successfully corrected disease - causing mitochondrial mutations in live mice with two different gene editing approaches . In a University of Miami study , adeno - associated viruses containing transcription activator - like effector nucleases ( [UNK] ) were injected into the muscles of mice that had an mtDNA mutation , leading to a 50 % reduction in the levels of the affected material six months later . Meanwhile , a UK - based study at the University of Cambridge injected the tail veins of mice with DNA - targeted zinc - finger nucleases ( ZFNs ) , which led to 40 % less mutant mtDNA in cardiac tissue . The test successes suggest an application to humans may be possible .
Researchers have successfully corrected disease-causing mitochondrial mutations in live mice with two different gene editing approaches. In a University of Miami study, adeno-associated viruses containing transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) were injected into the muscles of mice that had an mtDNA mutation, leading to a 50% reduction in the levels of the affected material six months later. Meanwhile, a UK-based study at the University of Cambridge injected the tail veins of mice with mitochondrial-targeted zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), which led to 40% less mutant mtDNA in cardiac tissue. The test successes suggest an application to humans may be possible.