NZ Scientists to Use Human Cells in Cows

By MORGAN, Jon

NEW ZEALAND scientists intend to use human cells to genetically engineer cows to produce milk high in a protein that will boost the body’s natural defences against disease.

The scientists at crown research institute AgResearch have approval from the Environmental Risk Management Authority to undertake laboratory experiments, and intend to apply to take it a stage further and create transgenic cows. AgResearch will partner Netherlands-based Pharming Group to produce the milk.

The work is opposed by environmental groups. The Greens say it flies in the face of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification that food animals and plants should not be used to produce pharmaceuticals.

AgResearch scientist David Wells told an Australian science conference this week that cloning and transgenic research had the potential to more precisely redesign animals for specific human health benefits and medical advances. He presented a paper on his and Goetz Laible’s research.

Speaking later, he admitted the work was controversial but said surveys had shown 30 per cent of New Zealanders were totally in favour of using genetic engineering to produce medical benefits while 50 to 60 per cent of those surveyed wanted to look at it case by case. “There’s nothing wrong with the technology, it’s how we use it,” he said.

Production of therapeutic human proteins in milk was the most important work at AgResearch’s Ruakura laboratories and was made possible by a method of transferring genetic material from cell to cell. The same method was used to clone animals.

Agricultural opportunities would expand greatly in future with expected rapid advances in the mapping of animal genes.

“We could take cells from one of the best dairy cows in New Zealand and make an enhancement to that already outstanding background to get big gains in production, or we could make special milk that may be better tailored to human nutrition or have some advantage for food processing,” Dr Wells said. Undesirable genes in animals could be eliminated, or modified to change the function of a protein or enzyme.

Other scientists overseas were looking at genetically modifying pigs so their organs would not be rejected in human transplants.

AgResearch had also significantly advanced cloning in recent years and the institute was awaiting Food Safety Authority approval to release cloned cattle so their meat and milk could enter the food chain.