American geneticists from the University of Chicago analyzed more than 900 samples from two different human tissues to understand how deep the cellular and genetic damage caused by smoking is. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG).
The team collected epigenetic data to assess the effects of smoking on DNA methylation (repression), or genetic regions where atoms can bind to DNA and turn off gene expression.
Scientists have discovered many new regions associated with smoking, including those shared between different tissue types; This suggests that DNA methylation is part of the body’s attempt to protect itself from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
The team used DNA methylation data from nine tissue types, including lung, colon, ovary, prostate, whole blood, breast, testicle, kidney and muscle.
The team analyzed DNA methylation data at cytosine-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides. They found 6,350 smoking-related CpGs in lung tissue and 2,753 in colon tissue. This means that in people who smoke or have smoked before, these genetic regions are different from those in people who have never smoked.
There were almost three times more smoking-related CpGs in the lungs than in the colon; This makes sense since the lungs are directly exposed to cigarette smoke.
Geneticists say the same technique can be used to determine what environmental influences a person is exposed to other than smoking.
used to be a doctor named The best way to test for lung cancer.