NOD particles are engineered proteins produced in transgenic tomatoes that can detect early signs of cancer in the body. When consumed, NOD particles circulate throughout the body and detect abnormal cell division caused by cancer initiation. Detection causes NODs to break down into smaller fluorescent fragments that are secreted in urine, tears, or sweat, alerting the individual to potential cancer formation. Early cancer detection allows for more effective treatment and better health outcomes.

1. HC 177
Biotechnology and Art
Nano Onco Detector (NOD)
Soheila Azghadi
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

2. NOD
Nano Onco Detector (NOD) particles are species whose coding genes
are engineered in tomato’s genome. Transgenic tomatoes, which are harboring
NOD proteins, are given to people who are at higher risk of getting any kind
of cancer. NOD particles survive the acidic condition of stomach, and the
digestive enzymes of small intestine. By circulating in lymphatic and
circulatory systems, NOD particles diffuse to any tissue in any organ, and
they reach the optimal size in order to escape from filtration in excretory
systems. Confrontation with any oncogene product or environmental cues
which accelerate oncogene pathways, NOD particles will change their native
conformation, be self-digested to many small fragments, and expose their
fluorescence tags. Small, fluorescent-tagged NODs can be secreted in urine,
tear, and sweat.

3. NOD, A Diagnostic Tool
Early diagnosis of cancer cells proliferation is very crucial in cancer treatment.
Usually, cancer is diagnosed when it is in the third or fourth stage which means cells
have already gone through making colonies and metastases. There hasn’t been any
diagnostic test to identify cancer at cellular level. Late diagnosis of cancer makes the
treatment inefficient, and sometimes, impossible. Since every oncogene pathway starts
with one abnormal cell division, NOD is an appropriate tool to detect the onset of any
cancer in the first step. NOD particles are safe, sensitive, and non-invasive tool to use to
diagnose cancer in an early stage.

4. NOD-Cancer Promotion
Initiation is the fist step in two-step model of cancer development. Initiators are always
mutagens that can make changes in DNA structure. Once a cell has been effected by an
initiator, it is susceptible to promotion. The promoter substances promote the cell
proliferation, which causes large number of daughter cells that harbor mutation caused by
the initiator. NOD detects cancer at very early proliferation stage. Abnormal cell division,
which alters the natural homeostasis in tissues, targets NOD particles. Targeted NOD
particles transform to thousand small pieces with exposed fluorescence tag. The
transformed NODs can be secreted by excretory systems.

5. In order to clone NOD gene in to tomato’s genome, it needs to be inserted
into a plasmid which has a ability to replicate in tomatoes’ cells. We will
select for the cells which show having two copies of NOD gene in the
culture dish. After obtaining enough cells that harbor the genetic
modification, we cultivate them to get more products.
Making a Plasmid containing NOD gene.
Culture the cells
Producing homozygous tomatoes.
Massive production of transgenic tomatoes
Google Image

6. The next step is to give transgenic tomatoes to patients who are at
higher risk at getting cancer due to their family history or
environmental exposure to mutagenes. It is just one single dose
consumption and NOD particles can last in human body for ten
years. After taking the transgenic tomatoes through mouth, NOD
particles will release in stomach and ingested to the circulatory
and lymphatic systems in small intestine. In the circulatory system
NOD’s will absorb enough plasma to reach to the optimal size in
order to escape filtration in kidneys.
Google Image

7. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

8. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

9. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

10. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

11. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

12. In their circulation in all organs in the body, NOD particles will
detect any abnormal cell devision. Any abnormality in cell devision
will target the digestion of NODs in to hundreds of small particles
which each of those has a fluorescent tag on them. As a result of
digestion, NODs can be easily secreted in urine, sweat, and tear.
Therefore, patients can detect an early onset of any abnormality in
cell division by observing a color change in their body’s secretion.
This step is a warning for patients to act immediately in order to
prevent further progression of cancer.
Google Image

13. As a result of increased environmental stresses, as well as spontaneous mutations in
DNA, the rate of cancer has increased in human population. NOD is an appropriate tool
to detect the onset of any kind of cancer at molecular level. Individuals can detect the
abnormal cell devision in their body by observing a change in urine, tear, and sweat
color. Early diagnosis of cancer make the treatment very efficient, and patients will
have better prognosis. Furthermore, consumption of transgenic tomatoes which include
NOD protein is so easy that patients prefer to use it rather than to go through more
invasive and harmful cancer detection methods, such as MRI or CT scan.

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