HUMAN BIOCHEMISTRY - L. V. Kapilevich - 2016

PART 2. FUNDAMENTALS OF SPORTS PHARMACOLOGY

GENETIC DOPING

Gene Therapy involves introducing new genetic programs into a Cell's genome. This is done either to make up for a defect when a native cellular gene is inactive, or to enable The Cell to produce a novel product for which it previously lacked the genetic instructions. However, creating effective and safe Methods has proven difficult to date. Introducing genetic constructs directly into the bloodstream or Tissues results in only a tiny fraction of the material actually penetrating the Cells. A far more efficient method relies on Viruses, which have evolved The ability to seamlessly integrate their genes into The Human Genome. Yet, viruses trigger an Immune Response and, more importantly, they can insert genes into random sites of the human genome, carrying the potential risk of disrupting cellular gene regulation and turning normal cells into malignant ones. Consequently, classical gene therapy approaches are not yet ready for Structure/182.html">Practical Application, even for the simplest tasks.

Recently, however, there has been real hope for the prompt clinical Translation of gene therapy by combining its techniques with stem cell technology. Stem cells can divide and proliferate indefinitely, meaning they are practically immortal. Secondly, they are unspecialized precursor cells that, through division, can give rise to specialized progeny—cells of specific types. Thus, starting with unspecialized stem cells, it is possible to cultivate cells of any organ in large quantities outside the body using bioreactors. Promising results have already been achieved in attempts to use stem cells for treating myocardial infarction. When introduced into a patient's bloodstream, stem cells accumulate in the damaged area and proliferate within the injured tissue, differentiating into the cells required for healing. The potential Applications of stem cell therapy in sports medicine are vast, given that athletes frequently sustain injuries and rarely have time for prolonged recovery. The potential for regenerating Cartilage and nerve tissues, as well as accelerating the healing of injuries and fractures through stem cell therapy, is undeniable.

Experiments involving stem cells are currently underway worldwide, including in Russia. While serious, systematic research into their clinical application is still lacking, a massive advertising campaign has already been launched, with dozens of organizations offering stem cell treatments for every conceivable condition—from baldness and impotence to Cancer and Aging. Naturally, these entities hold no official permits and can offer no guarantees whatsoever.

Returning to gene therapy, stem cell techniques help overcome The Challenge of gene delivery. Researchers can harvest a patient's stem cells, perform the necessary manipulations, and introduce the desired genes ex vivo—sacrificing delivery efficiency for absolute safety. Afterward, the successfully modified cells can be selected, expanded in the required quantities, and transplanted back into the patient. Prior to this, the cells can even be pre-programmed to differentiate into the specific tissue type required.

Experiments have empirically demonstrated that supplemental administration of ripoxygenic agents maintains an athlete's Blood Hemoglobin level at 190 units for up to 3 weeks!

In murine experiments utilizing these techniques, the animals' body weight increased by 20% within just 3 weeks, effectively producing a "Schwarzenegger mouse." It has been proven that viruses can serve as vectors for the target gene, and the efficacy of the outcome depends heavily on the choice of gene and viral vector.

Such methodologies are initially developed with noble intentions, such as treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, but gene therapy protocols have already infiltrated elite sports. They can be exploited to compensate for various human states and traits—fatigue, pain perception, Hypoxia resistance, and more. Such athletic conditioning can yield results an order of magnitude greater than psychotropic drugs. This raises the critical question: where does medicine end and doping begin? It is clear that for treating Muscle and ligament injuries, these techniques would be vastly superior to any known healing agents. Under a plausible pretext, these protocols can be abused as doping, especially since up to 150 human genes are linked to athletic performance. Already today, genetic profiling can determine whether an athlete is better suited as a stayer or a sprinter, estimate their fatigue threshold, and optimize training methodology. Genetic markers can reveal whether an athlete possesses the blueprint for endurance greatness and define their individual physiological ceiling.

Today, athletes are showing keen interest in developments emerging from several Western laboratories. Unlike traditional pharmacological agents, the Introduction of novel genes cannot be detected through routine blood parameters; the genetic material enters the tissues, leaving behind no detectable biomarkers. These advancements render the Prospects of doping control quite dim and make the misuse of gene therapy highly probable. In this scenario, athletic competitions risk turning into a contest of laboratories striving to perfect gene therapy techniques. If we fail to pay attention to these issues and establish our own research in this field, we will inevitably fall behind both in treating incurable diseases and in the sports arena.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. Define METABOLISM/2.html">THE CONCEPT OF "gene therapy".

2. What are stem cells?

3. For what purposes are gene therapy techniques being developed?

4. Are there currently any methods available to detect genetic doping?