Biomass burning in the Amazon region causes DNA damage and cell death in human lung cells

Author(s):Show less -

Alves, Nilmara de Oliveira ; Vessoni, Alexandre Teixeira ; Quinet, Annabel ; Fortunato, Rodrigo Soares ; Kajitani, Gustavo Satoru ; Peixoto, Milena Simoes ; Hacon, Sandra de Souza ; Artaxo, Paulo ; Saldiva, Paulo ; Martins Menck, Carlos Frederico ; Batistuzzo de Medeiros, Silvia Regina

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 7, SEP 7 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 9

Abstract

Most of the studies on air pollution focus on emissions from fossil fuel burning in urban centers. However, approximately half of the world's population is exposed to air pollution caused by biomass burning emissions. In the Brazilian Amazon population, over 10 million people are directly exposed to high levels of pollutants resulting from deforestation and agricultural fires. This work is the first study to present an integrated view of the effects of inhalable particles present in emissions of biomass burning. Exposing human lung cells to particulate matter smaller than 10 mu m (PM10), significantly increased the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammatory cytokines, autophagy, and DNA damage. Continued PM10 exposure activated apoptosis and necrosis. Interestingly, retene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon present in PM10, is a potential compound for the effects of PM10, causing DNA damage and cell death. The PM10 concentrations observed during Amazon biomass burning were sufficient to induce severe adverse effects in human lung cells. Our study provides new data that will help elucidate the mechanism of PM10-mediated lung cancer development. In addition, the results of this study support the establishment of new guidelines for human health protection in regions strongly impacted by biomass burning. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/15982-6 - Consequences of repair deficiencies in damaged genome
• Grantee: Carlos Frederico Martins Menck
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/02297-3 - Is the nucleotide excision repair pathway involved in the mechanism of action of urban air pollutants?
• Grantee: Nilmara de Oliveira Alves Brito
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/05014-0 - GoAmazon: interactions of the urban plume of Manaus with biogenic forest emissions in Amazonia
• Grantee: Paulo Eduardo Artaxo Netto
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants