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cell that became the egg or sperm mutated. The NF-κB, leading to liver cancer. I predict that it will turn out to be the case
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new movie, “Genetically Modified Children,” that all of the cancers that are being caused by glyphosate are occurring
proposes that glyphosate exposure in utero through aberrant expression of the TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathways,
resulted in de novo DNA mutations that led to leading to both hyperphosphorylation and pseudo-hyperphosphorylation
severe genetic diseases. The children featured of AID and Nup98.
in the film live in a farm community in north- Besides its important role in cancer development, AID also is essen-
ern Argentina where GMO Roundup-Ready tial for the maturation of the immune system. Disruption of the processes
tobacco is the core crop. The rates of cancer and that take place in the thymus gland in the first year of life can be predicted
congenital abnormalities are much higher than to lead to a weakened immune system due to defective maturation of the
normal in this community. B cells. Exposure to pathogens—especially in the gut—will lead, in the
A recently published paper exposed rats to context of glyphosate exposure, to aberrant perfection of the antibody
low doses of glyphosate during pregnancy and response to antigenic agents, causing both a poor immune response to
lactation. Although the rats and their direct the infection and an increased likelihood of developing autoimmune
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offspring suffered little damage, the second- disease through molecular mimicry. Moreover, children’s responses
generation offspring had an exceptionally high to vaccination can be expected to be impaired, such that the vaccine
rate of rare genetic diseases. The female fetus fails to “take” and/or leads to autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis,
develops her ovaries and eggs very early in preg- asthma, eczema and type 1 diabetes. Perhaps these disruptions caused
nancy. AID, the protein that drives genetic muta- by glyphosate are directly related to many of the immune deficiencies
tions when it is defective or phosphorylated, is and autoimmune conditions so prevalent among U.S. children today. For
highly expressed in germ cells in the developing sure, more research is needed to verify these ideas.
ovaries. Thus, glyphosate uptake by germ cells
in utero can lead to rare genetic mutations and Dr. Stephanie Seneff is a senior research scientist at MIT's Computer
rare birth defects in the next generation! Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. She has a BS degree
The TNF-α, NF-κB and AID activation se- from MIT in biology and a PhD from MIT in electrical engineering and
quence—launched in response to environmental computer science. Her recent interests have focused on the role of toxic
stressors in B cells and leading over time to tu- chemicals and micronutrient deficiencies in health and disease, with a
morigenesis and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—is special emphasis on glyphosate and Roundup. She has authored over
not a process that is unique to B cells. Thyroid thirty peer-reviewed journal papers in recent years on these topics.
cancer and liver cancer are both rising dramati-
cally in the U.S. population, in lockstep with
the rise in glyphosate usage on core crops. It REFERENCES
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is extremely unlikely that the match in the rise 1. https://glyphosategirl.com/.
2. http://ubnradio.com/shows/highwire-with-del-bigtree/.
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exposure.aspx.
ability values or “p-values” for thyroid cancer 4. Siegel R. Bayer stock plunges after jury awards man $289 million in Roundup cancer
(p < 0.000022) and liver cancer (p < 0.000054) trial. The Washington Post, Aug. 13, 2018.
are dramatically lower than the p=0.05 level 5. Temkin A. Breakfast with a dose of Roundup? Weed killer in $289 million cancer
that represents statistical significance. A study verdict found in oat cereal and granola bars. Aug. 15, 2018. https://www.ewg.org/
childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/.
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linterdiction-du-glyphosate-en-france/.
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GMO corn and soybean fields, could be a factor genotoxic risk in agricultural workers from five Colombian regions: association to oc-
in the increase. 77 cupational exposure to glyphosate. J Toxicol Environ Health A 2009;72(15-16):986-97.
NF-κB expression has been shown to 9. Guilherme S, Gaivão I, Santos MA, Pacheco M. European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
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