title: Prosthetic gene networks as an alternative to standard pharmacotherapies for metabolic disorders.
abstract: Synthetic biology makes inroads into clinical therapy with the debut of closed-loop prosthetic gene networks specifically designed to treat human diseases. Prosthetic networks are synthetic sensor/effector devices that could functionally integrate and interface with host metabolism to monitor disease states and coordinate appropriate therapeutic responses in a self-sufficient, timely and automatic manner. Prosthetic networks hold particular promise for the current global epidemic of closely interrelated metabolic disorders encompassing obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, which arise from the unhealthy lifestyle and dietary factors in the modern urbanised world. This review will critically examine the various attempts at constructing prosthetic gene networks for the treatment of these metabolic disorders, as well as provide insight into future developments in the field.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Boon Chin
authors: BC
authors: Heng
authors: IUTA Département Génie Biologique, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Aubel
authors: Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland; Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: fussenegger@bsse.ethz.ch.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Fussenegger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D007662:Ketosis / Q000378:metabolism; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity