Biotech Cats Wouldn't Trigger Allergies

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=716&e=9&u=/ap/20041027/ap_on_sc/biotech_cats


~snip~
The biotechnology revolution is shaking up the pet world. First came a cloned cat. Then came the fish genetically engineered to glow. Now, a Los Angeles company is exploiting the latest in biotechnology to create cats genetically engineered to be nearly free from the allergy-causing proteins that plague millions of people.


Allerca Inc. president Simon Brodie said by 2007 the company will use RNA interference to "silence" a gene in cats that produces the irritant, which is excreted through saliva and the skin.


Scientists researching everything from cancer to crops are using RNA interference to silence genes to create drugs, gene-searching tools and even a new way of decaffeinating coffee.


Now Brodie hopes to bring that same promise to the cat world and eliminate the need for allergic cat lovers to receive symptom-reducing shots while encouraging others put off by the allergy to buy a pet for the first time.

[amber dog democrat]

1. Yess but what about Nashville Cats ?

They're clear as country water
Nashville Cats
They're wild as mountain dew
Nashville Cats
Been playing since they's babies
Nachville Cats
Get gigs before they're two.

( I would certainly adopt one of them ) and so would John Sebatsian.

We have a fluffy cat that fits in just fine here. No genetic modifications needed.

[aneerkoinos]

2. The Mad Scientists :(

What the studies actually show, is that best thing against allergies is to have "irritant" cats (or dogs, but cat's are best) at home since birth.

Which makes perfect sense, human resistance system is tuned to fight something, we have been living closely with other animals for millions of years, so trying to remove all "irritants" from our surroundings makes the situation only worse when the resistance system looks for something, anything to fight, and creates more and more allergies and other problems. Note to the mad scientist: if it ain't broken, don't fix it, and nature's way ain't broken...

[Mother Jones]

3. Well said....

This is way out of hand.....we keep interfering with nature and it's simply too dangerous to continue on this path.

As the guardian of 2 cats and 2 dogs, I AM allergic to them. But you are right, the more time I spend with them, the more I am building immunity.

Nature has her reasons...we need to respect it.

[amber dog democrat]

4. Read Oryx and Crake by Margaret Attwood

It agrues against unwitting consequences of genetic experimentation -
especially with corporations doing it for profit.

[leftchick]

5. the article says it is okay with the FDA ....

as long as we don't eat them! Yikes! This logic freaks me out. They can't see the harm other than through consumtion???
I have four kitties I cherish and would keep even if I sneezed all day!
:)

[PDX Bara]

9. Allergies

I'm sure I'll be booed, hissed at, laughed at and otherwise "put in my place" but I have occasionally wondered if sterilizing everything a new baby comes in contact with could be a reason for so many people now having allergies. Of course the world has become much more poisonous and therefore there are many legitimate reasons for allergies, but how does one develop an immununity if not exposed to to at least a few possible allergens?

[aneerkoinos]

11. No booing from me

Your wonderings have been proven right. Latest studies indicate that if a child is in constant contact with pets during his/her first year of life or grows in a farm, risk to get (certain) allergies and asthma are lower in later life.

[MsMagnificent]

6. Remember those 'Twistie's'? *shudder*

I can't imagine what they'll do to the innocent animals. How many monstrosities will be created, live, and be put down to achieve -- what?

BTW, whatever happened to those poor twistie cats?

[meow2u3]

7. OMG!!! FRANKENKITTIES!!!

eom

[Neshanic]

8. So again, if cats were the size of tigers, would you want one?

Seems you can have one soon. Better stock up on the "Gritty Kitty".

[w4rma]

10. I find it interesting that these so-called Christian fundamentalists here

in America aren't speaking out against stuff like this.

[Lorien]

12. There's already a breed of cat without that gene

the Siberian Forest cat (a domestic pet, not a wild cat). It's a natural mutation in the cat's genes, not man made.

The hypo-allergetic Siberian: