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Genetic Modification a Stepping Stone to Curing Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

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Genetic Modification a Stepping Stone to Curing Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

Introduction

For over twenty-five years in counting, genetic modification has been in existence.

Through continued research, scientists continue to build on gene therapy as a form of managing

diseases that have no cure at all. Certain conditions such as disabilities, stubborn viruses, and

strange mutations are only dealt with using genetic modifications of the human cells. This paper,

therefore, focuses on discussing matters related to gene therapy being used to deal with stubborn

conditions of human health such as cancer and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), an autoimmune

disease. Even though this subject on genetic engineering has attracted many questions and

debates concerning its possible effect on human life, its benefits are seen to be endless. The most

evident advantages attached to genetic modification includes boosting of human immunity,

effective pharmaceuticals production, and curing of genetics related illnesses. Over the years,

people were helplessly dying from cancer. Thanks to this advancement in science that has seen to

it that things are made a little bit better. For autoimmune diseases, such as the AIH, its cause is

yet to be fully established, though investigations and researches suspect the environment,

genetics related issues, or dietary factors.

On researching the genetic modification issues, numerous resources are available for use.

This is because it is a matter of critical interest and scientists have done and continue to do

several kinds of research on the subject. In this research, resources from the journals of

autoimmunity, immunology research, and science translational medicine articles will be used in-

depth. Through this research, the question to be answered is; what scientific advancements

should be undertaken to counter cancer and autoimmune diseases through a genetic modification

that will ensure a permanent change in our society? This is a significant issue because its success
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would mean that the world will be relieved of the threat caused by cancer and deaths reduced by

a very high percentage.

Literature Review

In researching this matter, several journal articles and scientific papers were reviewed.

First, the journal of autoimmunity, titled "A new concept in autoimmunity regulation and a novel

therapeutic option” was considered. The second is the journal of immunology research that

focuses on treatment that is derived from the CAR-T cells. The last two articles are on cancer

immunotherapy and the DNA structures of the human body. All these articles are of great

essence to the research. They target more on what can be done to handle the problem at hand

through modification of the genes. As explained in the articles, gene therapy is the only

permanent solution to issues that have no direct cure. In cases where pharmaceuticals have

failed, restructuring the DNA is believed to be the only effective way as the human body will

have stronger immunity. The mutation attached to diseases such as cancer can only be defeated

by continuously altering the gene structures of the human cells. In selecting these sources, the

focus was majorly on the impacts of genetic engineering and whether it could be of decisive help

in helping solve issues that are related to gene mutation and alterations. This is thus geared

towards answering a vital question of interest on whether people contract cancer due to the

human DNA structure, or are there external factors that propagate the same?

This subject is of great interest to medics. The increase of immunity, as a preventive

measure for diseases through genetic engineering, would be of great help in running their duties.

For instance, the immune cells that were genetically engineered and helped wipe out the lupus

disease in mice were of great importance. Research has proved that such modifications could

also be done to handle conditions such as the AIH, which is an autoimmune disease (Bonam,
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Wang & Muller, 2018). On the other hand, the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, took

the world by a shock through the gene modifications of T cells, in the immune system. These

modifications enabled the identification and killing of specific cells in the body, which was

believed to be able to kill cancerous cells (Rosenberg, 2012). With this advancement, issues that

are purely genetic and were previously considered to have no cure can now be handled (Chen et

al., 2019). T-cell receptors that are genetically modified can also be put into many other uses.

They have the capability of fighting many diseases once they are transferred and implanted on

the human white blood cells. This is a great relief as they are capable of activating the white

blood cells to attack and kills any tumor-causing cells (Park et al., 2016).

Conclusion

To sum up, it is expected that the research on gene modification will be the stepping stop

to levels above cancer and autoimmune diseases. Should this be an effective cure, then the world

will be relieved of thousands of deaths caused by these diseases. Therefore, continued gene

modification to fight diseases is expected to result in a permanent future that is cancer and

autoimmune diseases free. Through collecting samples of the beneficiaries of these acts of

science, this theory can be proved and embraced.

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References

Bonam, S. R., Wang, F., & Muller, S. (2018). Autophagy: A new concept in autoimmunity

regulation and a novel therapeutic option. Journal of autoimmunity, 94, 16-32.

Chen, Y., Sun, J., Liu, H., Yin, G., & Xie, Q. (2019). Immunotherapy Deriving from CAR-T

Cell Treatment in Autoimmune Diseases. Journal of Immunology Research, 2019.

Park, J., Wysocki, R. W., Amoozgar, Z., Maiorino, L., Fein, M. R., Jorns, J., ... & Nakasone, E.

S. (2016). Cancer cells induce metastasis-supporting neutrophil extracellular DNA

traps. Science translational medicine, 8(361), 361ra138-361ra138.

Rosenberg, S. A. (2012). Raising the bar: the curative potential of human cancer

immunotherapy. Science translational medicine, 4(127), 127ps8-127ps8.