Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Sep;98(9):2817-2841.
doi: 10.1007/s00204-024-03785-4. Epub 2024 May 28.

Impact of indoor air pollution on DNA damage and chromosome stability: a systematic review

Luka Kazensky  1 , Katarina Matković  1 , Marko Gerić  1 , Bojana Žegura  2 , Gordana Pehnec  3 , Goran Gajski  4
Affiliations

Impact of indoor air pollution on DNA damage and chromosome stability: a systematic review

Luka Kazensky et al. Arch Toxicol. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Indoor air pollution is becoming a rising public health problem and is largely resulting from the burning of solid fuels and heating in households. Burning these fuels produces harmful compounds, such as particulate matter regarded as a major health risk, particularly affecting the onset and exacerbation of respiratory diseases. As exposure to polluted indoor air can cause DNA damage including DNA sd breaks as well as chromosomal damage, in this paper, we aim to provide an overview of the impact of indoor air pollution on DNA damage and genome stability by reviewing the scientific papers that have used the comet, micronucleus, and γ-H2AX assays. These methods are valuable tools in human biomonitoring and for studying the mechanisms of action of various pollutants, and are readily used for the assessment of primary DNA damage and genome instability induced by air pollutants by measuring different aspects of DNA and chromosomal damage. Based on our search, in selected studies (in vitro, animal models, and human biomonitoring), we found generally higher levels of DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage due to indoor air pollutants compared to matched control or unexposed groups. In summary, our systematic review reveals the importance of the comet, micronucleus, and γ-H2AX assays as sensitive tools for the evaluation of DNA and genome damaging potential of different indoor air pollutants. Additionally, research in this particular direction is warranted since little is still known about the level of indoor air pollution in households or public buildings and its impact on genetic material. Future studies should focus on research investigating the possible impact of indoor air pollutants in complex mixtures on the genome and relate pollutants to possible health outcomes.

Keywords: Comet assay; Genome damage; Health risk; Indoor air quality; Micronucleus assay; γ-H2AX assay.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Aramouni K, Assaf R, Shaito A et al (2023) Biochemical and cellular basis of oxidative stress: Implications for disease onset. J Cell Physiol 238:1951–1963. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.31071 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Augustyniak M, Gladysz M, Dziewięcka M (2016) The comet assay in insects–Status, prospects and benefits for science. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res 767:67–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrrev.2015.09.001 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Azqueta A, Ladeira C, Giovannelli L et al (2020) Application of the comet assay in human biomonitoring: an hCOMET perspective. Mutat Res Mutat Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MRREV.2019.108288 - DOI
    1. Bastl K, Berger U, Kmenta M, Weber M (2017) Is there an advantage to staying indoors for pollen allergy sufferers? Composition and quantitative aspects of the indoor pollen spectrum. Build Environ 123:78–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BUILDENV.2017.06.040 - DOI
    1. Bhatia SK, Kumar G, Yang Y-H (2024) Understanding microplastic pollution: Tracing the footprints and eco-friendly solutions. Sci Total Environ. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2024.169926 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources