Bring 2 DNA in your body, which is expensive to pay for blood cancer

We all know that each DNA sample only identifies and defines a single person. That means that every human on this earth has only one DNA sample and is not like anyone but this seems no longer the absolute right. There are many people in the world with 2 DNA in the body.

Unlike the case of multidisciplinary patients, imagine another person inside their brain, who carries two DNAs that are actually living with the other person. This person actually exists in physical form, making parts like skin, nails, liver or blood . carry a different DNA from the rest of the body.

How does one have 2 DNA?

A person with 2 DNA is caused by leukemia and has an inherited heterozygous transplant such as a bone marrow transplant. At that time, immature stem cells can develop into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the recipient's body, but they still carry the donor's DNA. Such cases are called Chimera people, the name of a three-headed beast in Greek mythology.

Currently, there are hundreds of people in the world with 2 different DNA. According to statistics until 2013, the world has recorded 1 million marrow transplants, 50% of transplant cases will create Chimera people.

The pain of the Chimera people

The Chimera people cause a lot of trouble, some rare cases occur as criminals who leave the scene due to traces leaving the scene do not match the DNA samples in his blood or the fact that his father is not his father Because there are 2 different DNA that many people have headaches.

In particular, Chimera causes people after bone marrow transplant to suffer from suffering from graft vs. host disease (GVHD) - the battle between grafted cells and host cells. This is like having two people competing, torn apart inside to take over their entire body.

Father of bone marrow transplant

Scientist E. Donnall Thomas (1920-2012) is the father who invented the bone marrow transplant method to save hundreds of patients with leukemia in the world. He won the Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1990.

E. Donnall Thomas (left), the father of a bone marrow transplant, in the Nobel Prize ceremony in 1990.

In 1957, Thomas published a scientific report that presented a new method for the treatment of leukemia, including three courses: radiotherapy, chemotherapy and bone marrow transfusion. His work encountered objections and doubts from many scientists and doctors at the same time, even according to them this work was meaningless.

A bone marrow transplant is a difficult procedure because if you inject foreign tissues and cells into your body, your immune system will kill them or the implant will turn over to destroy the patient's body. This problem is only solved if we find the same donor from a twin brother.

Thomas sought to solve the problem, this key by using immunosuppressive drugs to prevent the elimination process from occurring. This means that patients who can be transplanted from non-family donors help save many patients with blood cancer.

According to statistics, there are about 50,000 patients receiving marrow transplants every year, 53% from their own stem cells, 47% receive cells from other people or cord blood equivalent to about 24,000 patients received donated cells.

Kareem Winters

Update 24 May 2019