Gene mutations occur in smokers
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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In America, a team of specialists found that smoking leads to mutations in genes and can be more dangerous than previously thought. Scientists from the National Institute for Health Research conducted a large-scale study, during which it was determined that nicotine causes in the body a change in the activity of about 7,000 genes. A team of specialists in the process of work studied the blood samples of participants in various research projects and found out that smokers in the body are changing DNA molecules, which affects their activity and function.
In total about 7 thousand genes suffer from nicotine, and this is about 1/3 of all genes that are in the human body (at least those that are known to scientists). An interesting fact was that after a person threw a pernicious habit, the gene mutations gradually disappeared, but it took at least 5 years. However, 19 genes remained altered even 30 years after quitting and scientists note that among these genes there are those that can provoke the development of lymphoma.
According to scientists in the smoker's body, the process of DNA methylation starts, which leads to DNA mutations, changes in functions and activity of genes. Methylation refers to epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene activity, as scientists explained, this process is a kind of "lid" that our body uses to reduce or suppress the activity of genes that are unnecessary or dangerous. It should be noted that violations of this nature often provoke the development of cancer, heart disease and other equally serious violations.
As already mentioned, even quitting smoking will not help completely restore the structure of genes to a normal state, although most of them eventually return to their original state, because of irreversibility of processes in some genes there is a high risk of developing diseases of lymphatic tissue and other pathologies.
Scientists say that smoking has a strong negative impact on the human body and can affect even molecular-genetic processes. One of the employees of the Association for Lung Diseases noted that every smoker should realize that nicotine has an effect on the genetic level and what the consequences of these mutations in the future are now difficult to say.
It is known that nicotine is harmful to the lungs, the heart, but in addition, smoking has a negative effect on the digestive system. Resins present in cigarettes accumulate in the oral cavity and enter the stomach, irritating the mucosa and causing a number of diseases.
Now scientists are going to continue working in this direction and to study the influence of nicotine on the human body in more detail. According to statistics, every year in the world as a result of smoking, more than 6 million people die, mainly because of lung, heart, cancer.
The results of the new research team of scientists published in one of the latest issues of the famous scientific publication.
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