Hi folks--
Here's an hypothetical issue I've thought about lately, especially since the
news about Floyd Landis--
If an athlete embarked on a gene-altering/splicing regimen, such as an
introduction (via a virus carrier), of a gene mutation that would increase
their levels of testosterone, or RBCs, or mitochondria, would the increase
of these substances/cells/hormones be detectable via current testing
procedures, and, would these changes also test as being due to a
forced/introduced mutation?
I would think that the tests would need to look for evidence of the virus
used as the gene carrier, and that current testing methods (that we know of,
anyway) might not be able to see the molecular differences between
mitochondria (or testosterone) *before* the introduction of the beneficial
gene mutation, as compared to after.
However, I would think that the DNA sequence changes in the athlete *could*
be detected with current technology, and perhaps this type of testing is
being developed, or perhaps has even been conducted, on Landis' suspect
Stage 17 samples.
Anyone else here care to chime in on this? I recall reading an article
about "gene doping" on the NY Times website earlier this year, perhaps
before or during the Torino Winter Olympics, that discussed this very issue.
Jean in VA, who at first believed Landis, but now isn't so sure.