Synthetic gland graft therapy: Changes since 2049/10/09

Synthetic gland graft therapy (sGGT) is an umbrella term for several emerging therapies in which a synthetic gland is grown in vitro and then surgically grafted onto a host.

The general term covers several more specific treatment modalities, such as in vivo drug-tunable drug manufacture (ivDTDG), elective tailored appendix replacement (e-TAR), and graft-borne hormone supplementation (GBHS).

Table of contents

  1. Procedure
  2. Applications
  3. Legal status
  4. Risks and criticism
  5. See also
  6. References

Procedure

All synthetic gland graft therapy (sGGT) procedures begin by growing a genetically modified organ in a lab setting using the patient’s own DNA or that of a highly compatible donor, such as a close family member. In conventional graft-borne hormone supplementation (GBHS) therapies, this synthetic organ is usually derived from a parathyroid gland modified to secrete a different set of hormones.

Once grown, the synthetic organ can be surgically implanted in the patient’s body in a procedure known as a clonograft. Once the implanted gland begins receiving blood flow from the patient’s body, it becomes an integral part of the host endocrine system and begins secreting substances such as conventional hormones or neohormones. [1]

Applications

sGGT has been suggested as a possible future treatment for diabetes and other severe disorders of the endocrine system, and as an alternate therapy for hormone supplementation to delay the onset of menopause or for gender transition. In vivo drug manufacture techniques, in which a microscale bioreactor containing genetically modified bacteria is implanted into a live host, have been advertised as a possible replacement for almost any class of long-term drug therapies.

Currently available sGGT applications are experimental or cosmetic, and are generally proposed as ways of improving general health, athletic performance, sexual satisfaction, or longevity. As of late 2048, no currently ongoing trial claimed a clinical benefit in treating a recognised disorder.

Due to the high cost and limited availability, existing sGGT procedures remain rare. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that only about 15,000 individuals worldwide had undergone some form of sGGT by the end of 2048, though it noted that many wealthy individuals are “repeat customers” of the technique. [2]

Legal status

Clinical trials of sGGT are ongoing. [3] No form of sGGT has been approved for wide use in any jurisdictions, though specific exemptions exist for informed consent use in Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and Switzerland. [4]

Risks and criticism

A smiling man with bleached blonde hair is holding up a football jersey with the name DINIZ across the back.

Richie Diniz died in 2049 when his grafted neoappendix began leaking into his body, leading to biofab septic cascade syndrome.

Like all surgical procedures, sGGT carries inherent accidental risks. After a successful graft, the synthetic organ becomes an organic component of the patient’s body, but its output is not as predictable or controllable as in conventional drug or hormone therapies, which can be dosed to order. Once grafted on, the gland can usually only be removed surgically, which makes the therapy impractical to adjust or discontinue as needed.

“Drug-tunable” therapies, in which a gland or microbiofab is genetically modified so that its output can be moderated through the use of a tailored chemical signal (taken orally), are theorised as a possible solution but not currently being trialed. [5]

Grafted glands feed off the host’s body blood “in a way analogous to a parasite,” requiring medically significant amounts of nutrients to function. Because they change the body’s energy requirements suddenly and without feedback to the body’s normal satiety mechanisms, weight loss has been promoted as a side benefit by proponents of sGGT. However, when associated with a restrictive diet and calorie deficit, this effect can lead to side effects akin to malnutrition. [6]

See also

References

  1. Lindt, M et al. (July 2045). “Synthetic Gland Graft Therapy: A Survey of Techniques, Studies, and Trials.” The Lancet. ↩
  2. Abdellatif, G et al. (December 2048). “Novel, Emerging, and Disruptive Therapies Report.” World Health Organisation. ↩
  3. Pringle, S. (October 2046). “Synthetic glands are making headlines… but there’s more to this story.” The Economic Times. ↩
  4. Chung, N. (August 2048). “The Hyperrich Are Buying New Glands. Are You Next?” Playboy. ↩
  5. Kim, B. et al (March 2046). “Precise moderation of biofab organ throughput achieved in pigs through administration of designed epigenetic trigger factors.” Cell. ↩
  6. Noël, K. (September 2046). “Sertanejo Singer’s Death Linked to Weight Loss Treatment.” Folha de S. Paulo. ↩