Is Air Pollution Making Us Age : Air Pollution And DNA Methylation
Unknown to many is an existing connection of excessive air pollution with accelerated biological aging through DNA methylation and telomere length. There are various air pollutants known to exist in our regular breathing space. Some of these include aerosolized heavy metals from industry such as cadmium and vehicle combustion particles.
Air pollution is an emerging health issue globally in the post industrial age and recent research continues to link excess air pollution with biological aging. Many studies have connected an excess exposure to air pollution with increased risks of DNA damage, epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, oxidative stress and inflammation.
DNA telomeres protect DNA from damage and are associated with cellular aging. Some studies have linked air pollution to abnormal changes in telomere length and accelerated aging. This may be an important means as to how air pollution may be influencing aging and our health.
Excessive air pollution is also heavily linked with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, thyroid dysfunction, cancer and cognitive changes including dementia. These health outcomes which are thought to be influenced by air pollution are also linked with aging. Improvements in air quality and pollution seem to be linked to healthy or exceptional aging. Some studies actually admit that air pollution may reduce lifespan very significantly.
Here the various ways in which air pollution may be influencing aging will be considered from DNA methylation to telomere length.
DNA Methylation And Aging
DNA methylation is an epigenetic change to your DNA. This means that your DNA is altered in a way that can be inherited by the next generation and generations after. DNA methylation is a natural process in small amounts. The methylation of DNA regions results in the switching off of genes within the body and the prevention of their production into matured proteins.
Environmental factors are able to increase this massively though and excessive DNA methylation of our genes is able to cause health issues within the body. Extent of DNA methylation is also thought to be an accurate measure of biological aging or lifespan alongside telomere length. Excess DNA methylation is also a possible cause of cancer if oncogenes or essential cancer regulation genes become effected.
The most popularised example of human induced DNA methylation at present is from smoking cigarettes. Various studies suggest that air pollution is able to significantly contribute to adverse DNA methylation. You could actually compare the effects of air pollution on DNA methylation to secondary smoking. Many countries have now banned public smoking partly because of the methylating effect on DNA.
Telomeres And Aging
Studies have identified consequential effects on telomere length because of air pollution in addition to DNA methylation. Like DNA methylation there are environmental factors which can influence telomere length.
Our telomeres are important parts of our DNA which protect our chromosomal genetics from damage. They actually form an entire structure at the ends of our DNA. This is a very fragile part of our DNA. Exposed telomeres are very vulnerable to oxidative stress and lasting damage.
Oxidative stress is a leading cause of telomere shortening and can result in losses in genetic material as well. Excessive oxidative stress damage to DNA could also increase risk of cancer from genetic alteration. Telomere shortening may also influence risks of cardiovascular disease.
Studies have shown that cellular lifespan reduces with reductions in telomere length. Under the right conditions for survival our telomerases rejuvenate the length of our DNA telomeres and may preserve cellular lifespan. Telomere length is therefore thought to be an accurate measure of age in addition to DNA methylation rate and is often used to measure biological age in research.
How Air Pollution Effects Aging Via DNA Methylation And Telomere Length
Accelerations in biological aging could have health consequences. Global industrialisation has raised health concerns because of how air pollution may influence important aging factors such as DNA methylation and telomere length.
One study found strong links between air particle pollution and accelerated aging. Other studies have analysed this association and found very strong links between regular exposure to air pollution and unusual genetic deviations. This includes things like telomere length and epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation.
Studies have confirmed that traffic pollutants or combustion particles such as soot, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are linked with accelerated skin aging. Studies have found these to be prevalent air pollutants. Other studies have also found that telomere length shortens with regular exposure to air pollution. An important regulating factor for this telomere effect is thought to be increases in oxidative stress and inflammation from air pollution exposure.
Some studies show that city workers may experience a 10% reduction in DNA telomere length from regular exposure to air pollution. Further research suggests that regular exposure to city vehicle traffic pollution greatly influences telomere length. Lack of residential green space exposure is also linked to shorter telomeres. Residential traffic exposure may also reduce telomere lengths and during pregnancy this may affect the aging of unborn babies.
Studies have shown that mitochondrial DNA may also be vulnerable to air pollution via telomeres. Accelerated mitochondria aging could then also add to air pollution consequences. Heavy metal air pollutants from industry and resulting oxidative stress may also lead to telomere shortening. This is another important dynamic as to how air pollution could influence biological aging.
Overall the research is showing that air pollution could have a massive influence on measures of biological aging.
Summary
There seems to be an underlying connection between exposure to excessive air pollution and accelerated biological aging. This seems to be mediated through important influencers on aging such as DNA methylation and telomere length.
Air pollution is becoming a global health issue because of negative influences on aging. Excessive air pollution is heavily linked with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, thyroid dysfunction, cancer and cognitive dysfunctions.
Various pollutants are found in our regular breathing space and many of these originate from intensive industry or vehicle combustion. These include aerosolised heavy metals like cadmium and nitrogen dioxide. Pollutants may change levels of oxidative stress and inflammation which increases the risks of consequential genetic effects. This includes epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and also telomere shortening. Increases in these factors are recognised as measures of biological aging.
Various studies have linked air pollution with increased aging through DNA methylation events and telomere shortening. Studies have consistently linked DNA methylation as an important mediator of air pollution influenced aging. One study found that regular exposure to air pollution could reduce telomere length by 10%. Vehicle traffic pollutants are thought to be a main contributing factor to this. Telomere lengths in unborn babies may also be affected by air pollution according to one study.
Other studies have found that regular traffic pollution exposure could accelerate skin aging. A lack of green space exposure is linked to shorter telomeres and aging of mitochondrial DNA may also be influenced by air pollution. Heavy metal air pollutants are also a source of oxidative stress which could influence telomere length.
Overall the research shows that air pollution may have a massive influence on two very important measures of biological aging.
