Gene that human ancestors lost millions of years ago could help treat gout

Scientists Revive 20-Million-Year-Old Gene to Help Fight Gout

The pain of gout has been with us for millennia at least, but scientists have gone back much further in time – more than 20 million years – to bring back a gene that could help treat the condition and others like it. When there's too much uric acid in the blood, it forms crystals in the joints and the kidneys – which then leads to gout and other problems, including kidney disease and liver damage. This overload is known as hyperuricemia. A gene …

Gene that human ancestors lost millions of years ago could help treat gout

Researchers used evolutionary genetics and CRISPR gene editing tech to develop an innovative treatment for gout. The approach has yet to be tested in humans.