Novoscience Immortalization
How to cure cancer and stop aging
The following is a discourse on a potential method to augment the cellular system of the body to have a built-in molecular receptor-communication system. The method is not for the technophobic, or those who have a religious or ethical aversion to augmenting the human body through molecular engineering.
The problem with fighting cancer or aging-associated cellular senescence is that there are around 200 trillion cells comprising the human body with thousands of different cell types. Targeting cells for introduction of novel genes or even targeted molecular therapeutics is a significant challenge; for instance targeting a neoplasm with cytotoxic chemical agents is often limited in specificity and aside from some developing advanced techniques nearly all tissues of the body are poisoned. Moreover the immortalized “stem cell” at the heart of the neoplasm often evades chemotherapeutic destruction and while the cancerous cells around it are destroyed, the tumorigenic stem cell can often go on to form a new tumor later.
As well, if it is desired to target stem cells in the body to introduce DNA repair genes or activate and extend the telomeres, it is not currently possible to selectively and efficiently target the stem cells for such cellular rejuvenation therapy. A targeted delivery methodology for both of the examples given (cancer elimination and stem cell rejuvenation), requires developing gene constructs or therapeutic agents that (1) recognize specific cell-surface markers to the desired cell type; (2) bind those cell-surface receptors; and (3) are imported into the cell and integrated into the appropriate subcellular system.
A potential way to overcome this challenge is to pre-emptively load the stem cell pool of the body with an engineered surface-receptor and integration system. This would require genetic engineering of the totipotent embryonic stem cells (Figure 1). By targeting the totipotent stem cells before gastrulation all stem cells of the body will have the surface-receptor and integration system.
Figure 1: totipotent embryonic stem cell goes on to form pluripotent embryonic stem cells that comprise the three primary germ layers of the early embryo: the ectoderm (forms the skin and nervous system), mesoderm (develops into muscle, bone, and organs), and endoderm (will form the lining of the gut, liver, and the lungs).
The surface-receptor and integration complex is a multi-component system, such that the particular isoform of cell surface-receptor that is expressed on the stem cell is linked to gene expression of the particular cell type. So for instance, expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene will activate the designed gene construct to express a cell surface-receptor specific to neuroblasts. When the system detects abnormalities in expression of P21, a particular cancer-targeting cell surface-receptor is expressed.
Through this system, stem cells in the adult can be specifically targeted for cellular rejuvenation, where delivery of DNA repair enzymes or even gene inserts can be directed to specific stem-cell tissue types to revert the stem cell pool back to a youthful state. Or, when a neoplasm develops drugs can be targeted directly to the cancerous cells, destroying them. These therapeutics could be administered on a monthly basis, keeping the body clear of cancer and age-associated deterioration, or given in a comprehensive fashion periodically for routine cellular rejuvenation.
If the stem cells of the body are maintained indefinitely in a healthy and youthful state, and cancers are eliminated nearly as soon as they arise, there is no reason the body could not be kept in a healthy and youthful state indefinitely: this is the novoscience immortalization methodology.
