DNA Methylation as a Molecular Mechanism of Carcinogenesis in World Trade Center Dust Exposure: Insights from a
Stephanie Tuminello1,2, Nedim Durmus3, Matija Snuderl4
1Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Abstract:
The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings in New York City generated a large plume of dust and smoke. WTC dust contained human carcinogens including metals, asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins), and benzene. Excess levels of many of these carcinogens have been detected in biological samples of WTC-exposed persons, for whom cancer risk is elevated. As confirmed in this structured literature review (n studies = 80), all carcinogens present in the settled WTC dust (metals, asbestos, benzene, PAHs, POPs) have previously been shown to be associated with DNA methylation dysregulation of key cancer-related genes and pathways. DNA methylation is, therefore, a likely molecular mechanism through which WTC exposures may influence the process of carcinogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity
Epigenetic Regulation
X-chromosome...
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Nucleotide Excision Repair
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...


