Identification of genetic features associated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) modulated DNA damage using improved random forest analysis

Efficacy of Low-Cost Sensor Networks at Detecting Fine-Scale Variations in Particulate Matter in Urban Environments

The negative health impacts of air pollution are well documented. Not as well-documented, however, is how particulate matter varies at the hyper-local scale, and the role that proximal sources play in influencing neighborhood-scale patterns. We examined PM_2.5 variations in one airshed within Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN, USA) by utilizing data from 25 active PurpleAir (PA) sensors involving citizen scientists who hosted all but one unit (the control), as well as one EPA monitor. PA sensors report live measurements of PM_2.5 on a crowd sourced map. After calibrating the data utilizing relative humidity and testing it against a mobile air-quality unit and an EPA monitor, we analyzed PM_2.5 with meteorological data, tree canopy coverage, land use, and various census variables. Greater proximal tree canopy coverage was related to lower PM_2.5 concentrations, which translates to greater health benefits. A 1% increase in tree canopy at the census tract level, a boundary delineated by the US Census Bureau, results in a ~0.12 µg/m³ decrease in PM_2.5, and a 1% increase in "heavy industry" results in a 0.07 µg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 concentrations. Although the overall results from these 25 sites are within the annual ranges established by the EPA, they reveal substantial variations that reinforce the value of hyper-local sensing technologies as a powerful surveillance tool.

Mechanism of biochanin A alleviating PM2.5-induced oxidative damage based on an XRCC1 knockout BEAS-2B cell model

PM_2.5 induces oxidative/antioxidant system imbalance and excessive release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and produces toxic effects and irreversible damage to the genetic material including chromosomes and DNA. Biochanin A (BCA), an isoflavone with strong antioxidant activity, effectively intervenes against PM_2.5-induced oxidative damage. The X-ray repair cross-complementary protein 1 (XRCC1)/BER pathway involves DNA damage repair caused by oxidative stress. This paper aims to explore the mechanism of BCA alleviating oxidative DNA damage caused by PM_2.5 by establishing the in vitro cell model based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology and combining it with mechanism pathway research. The results showed that PM_2.5 exposure inhibited the expression of BER and NER pathway proteins and induced the overexpression of ERCC1. BCA showed an effective intervention in the toxicity of PM_2.5 in normal cells, rather than XRCC1 knock-out cells. This laid a foundation for further exploring the key role of XRCC1 in PM_2.5-caused oxidative damage and the BER/DNA damage repair pathway.