We've all heard of 23andMe and Ancestry.com DNA tests gone wrong. People now regularly reveal family lies when their real genetics tell a different story!
From fake Cherokee blood to cheating spouses, honest human history has been tons of fun.
And with newfound public interest in the issue generally, it may intrigue readers to find out that it's now possible to start growing someone else's DNA in your body! That's not a typo — but how, exactly?
In a world-famous case, one man discovered his genetic information had changed after receiving a bone marrow transplant.
Multiple areas of his body now registered as someone else on standard tests! It's hard to say if other patients have become part of this phenomenon, but scientists now know it is not impossible.
The implications are a lot deeper than just the novelty factor. Sperm donation and even CSI-style criminal investigations may be affected!
Read on to discover the shocking science secret that rocked the establishment this year...
Cancer Chaos
Chris Long was just a regular Joe enjoying life in Reno, Nevada when he learned he had a life-threatening condition.
Like more than 60,000 other Americans each year, the protagonist of this story was diagnosed with leukemia. Sad times for Chris!
Luckily, a common treatment was available. As readers may already know, this blood cancer can be fixed through the transplant of new blood-producing cells in the bones: marrow.
After finding a generous donor all the way in Germany with a matching medical profile, the procedure was performed successfully.
Sweet success! Chris was nothing but grateful, and he even hoped to visit his donor one day. How did things take a turn for the weird, though?
Blinded Me With Science
Chris actually worked at the sheriff's office in his city with colleagues trained in DNA and blood science.
They were curious about the real results of the procedure in terms of their line of work. Namely, collecting samples to identify criminals at murder scenes!
Ultimately, the goal of a bone marrow transplant is to replace weak blood with good blood. Sound good, but there's a lot of information in the blood — and forensics relies on it! It's all settled science at this point, isn't it?
CSI: Reno
For a forensic scientist, any new DNA research is very consequential. The assumption at any crime scene is that a human being leaves behind a unique identifying code.
The victim and the perpetrator should be easily distinguished from everyone else in the world, with the exception of identical twin cases.
When the head of the crime lab in the County Sheriff’s Office understood what Chris needed to do medically, this was a real in-house scientific opportunity!
Time to take a few samples, perhaps. With all the stress of a serious health problem, was this an intrusive request at work?
Call In The Swab Team
The colleague explained: “We need to swab the heck out of you before you have this procedure to see how this DNA takes over your body.” Chris agreed right away!
It turned out to be a welcome distraction from a terrifying double diagnosis: Myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia.
Both of these impaired the production of blood cells and Chris didn't even know if he would make it!
As readers may guess at this point, the treatments were successful. But where were those DNA oddities discovered when he was healed and healthy?
Echoes of Frankenstein
As it turns out, some of that German DNA was now reproducing inside the body of patient Chris!
Although they had only exchanged a few messages, the two now had grown pretty close. Only in the literal sense, of course: In a way, Chris had actually become his donor!
Four years after the lifesaving procedure, things had gotten pretty freaky. At this point, tests were showing the German man in his blood, cheeks, lips, and semen! Was there any medical term for such a person?
Double Trouble DNA
Chris had the status of a chimera, the term for a rare person with two different sets of DNA.
It may surprise some people to know that some twins can be born with this anomaly. But bone marrow was never seen as a procedure with the potential to corrupt police investigations and create wrongful convictions!
The forensic folks actually pinpointed that major changes had taken place just four months after the procedure. A few areas were not affected. Which ones, though?
Crime Time
Chris had begun producing strange DNA just about everywhere, but unaffected areas turned out to be his head and chest hair. A colleague reflected: “We were kind of shocked that Chris was no longer present at all."
Indeed, it is shocking — but not just for Chris and his friends. With tens of thousands of people per year receiving bone marrow transplants for leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and lymphoma, it's time to take a close look at the criminal applications.
As it turns out, foreign DNA has been showing up in all the wrong places! Seems like a pressing matter, but is this being widely studied yet by the police?
Questions Pile Up
With Chris no longer present at all anymore in parts of his own body, people were concerned. What are the implications of these changes on the criminal investigative process?
A strange crime could exist in the future where semen and hair samples of a suspect appear to indicate a gang rape when in reality there was one perpetrator. Or perhaps a sample of only one body area was left behind, indicating the presence of the wrong person altogether! Has that type of case already happened?
Going Global
The implications of Chris and his surprising DNA transformation was presented at a major forensic science conference. While doctors don't appear to be very worried about these situations, CSI sleuths might need to be!
Medical professionals say that extra DNA in random places is not harmful and does not change a patient's character.
Dr. Andrew Rezvani is the medical director of Stanford's inpatient Blood & Marrow Transplant Unit. He confirms: “Their brain and their personality should remain the same.
Furthermore, female DNA doesn't have any obvious impact on a man's body. Good news, for sure — but what about the credibility of the forensics field?
Tricks on The Tundra
In 2004, investigators way up in Alaska had a rape case to solve. Logically, they uploaded the DNA profile from the crime scene to their reference database. They got a match right away!
But quickly, there was an obvious alibi: The man had been in jail at the time of the crime. After just a little digging. a bone marrow transplant showed up in this case, too!
The incarcerated man had received a special donation from his own brother. A beautiful story, but soon the brother was a felon as well!
Another angle has become a recent concern: Has the chimera effect impacted any victims being believed?
Going Solo
Indeed, the chimera problem has poured over into many areas. One recent case became confused when a victim claimed to have been assaulted by just one man. The results of the crime lab showed two attackers, making her story needlessly suspicious.
Police were skeptical of the victim's overall memory about the incident since the hard evidence in front of them showed a clear trail of two men.
No one could blame them for their questions about it, but it turned out to be a false alarm! Yet again, foreign DNA had floated in where it wasn't welcome.
The victim herself had received a bone marrow transplant, and the three sets of chromosomes were working against her story!
Thankfully, police were able to clarify the situation on a DNA level, but what about situations where there is no living victim to talk to?
Confusion in Korea
In 2008, South Korean investigators were trying hard to identify the victim of a car accident. Pretty routine stuff, but they encountered a strange roadblock they had never seen before. Yes, bone marrow had tripped up the professionals yet again!
Blood work showed that the person was female, but the body looked completely male.
DNA analysis of a kidney during the autopsy was male, but lung and spleen samples were mixed male and female. In the end, it was determined that the individual was a man who received a transplant from his own daughter.
All of these developments in the criminal field are concerning, indeed. But there is one more sensitive area where DNA is routinely used to make legal decisions! What about paternity testing and child support for millions?
Mother Knows Best
Many wondered what would happen to Chris Long if he tried to have children. After all, the German DNA had shown up in his semen!
As it turns out, that experiment cannot be evaluated using this case. But why?
Chris had a vasectomy long ago, after the birth of his children. He was no longer producing sperm in his semen! The DNA floating around in there was not part of any actual swimming sperm, because his body was no longer releasing them down any tube.
But what about other recipients who have not undergone the big snip?
Back to Basics
Three bone marrow experts have agreed that it is impossible to pass on the donor's genes in sperm as a result of a transplant.
That's because foreign white blood cells swirling around do not become sperm, though they clearly contain DNA. At the end of the way, the structure of the sperm cells is what new life requires. Biology 101, people!
Yes, semen and sperm are different! Investigators may get an incomplete picture, in the rare case that the perp has undergone a vasectomy. What kind of cells are really left at the crime scene in such a case?
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Like Chris Long's situation, any crime scene material of this nature would contain DNA without any sperm.
Dr. Elias Zambidis works at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Institute for Cell Engineering. What does he have to say about the relevant biology?
People may not be aware that there are actually several types of white blood cells that support our immune systems.
According to the doc: “These can come from the urinary tract or the prostate, and will be present even in a vasectomized man...Since all white blood cells come from the bone marrow donor after a bone marrow transplant, it will not be a surprise that ejaculate containing white blood cells will also be of the donor.”
Very interesting information! But what about stem cell transplants, or other emerging medical technologies?
Baby Daddy Drama
Dr. Jonathon Epstein is the chief scientific officer of the University of Pennsylvania medical school. He also confirms that paternity fears from foreign DNA from any current medical treatment are unfounded.
The doctor explained: “We don’t know a cell that can make a sperm cell...Even embryonic stem cells can’t be made into sperm cells at this point, though there are people working on it.”
Well, that's a relief. But how does Chris feel about all the crazy talk that has been generated because of his local case in Reno? Time to check back in with patient zero!
Long Live Chris Long
Chris was obviously pretty shocked by the entire situation. He may have agreed to go along with the curiosities of his colleagues, but he never expected to find what they found!
Reflecting as a blood cancer survivor: “I thought that it was pretty incredible that I can disappear and someone else can appear.” Indeed, it is a unique case!
DNA traveled to unexpected areas of Chris Long's body, and researchers want to keep their eye on things. There aren't that many human guinea pigs that have undergone marrow procedures and also committed crimes, though!
For now, scientists at least know that there is a possible kink to double-check if things don't add up right away. And Chris still hopes to meet his donor angel one day. There's going to be one heck of a story to talk about, that's for sure!