Tuesday, 07 March 2023 12:19

Smoking and cancer: More precise aetiology with cell cultures Featured

Using lung cell culture experiments, scientists at ETH Zurich led by Prof. Shana Sturla have shown which DNA units are altered by benzo(a)pyrene metabolites and where, and thus can trigger lung cancer in the long term.


They labeled one of the DNA units - guanine - with an antibody to find out which guanines that are alkylated by benzo(a)pyrene cannot be converted back to the original form by the body's own repair enzyme. This can lead to lung cancer in humans. They were then able to analyze these sites.

The researchers also plan to use their in vitro method to determine the effects of other toxins on cells.

Original publication:
Jiang Y, Mingard C, Huber SM, Takhaveev V, McKeague M, Kizaki S, Schneider M, Ziegler N, Hürlimann V, Hoeng J, Sierro N, Ivanov NV, Sturla SJ: Quantification and Mapping of Alkylation in the Human Genome Reveal Single Nucleotide Resolution Precursors of Mutational Signatures. ACS Central Science, March 22, 2023.

Source and further information:
https://www.bionity.com/de/news/1179651/wo-giftstoffe-aus-tabak-die-dna-angreifen.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bionityde&WT.mc_id=ca0264