Telomere length and telomerase: early biomarkers for environmental carcinogen exposure / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

Telomere is a DNA-protein complex located at the end of linear chromosome of eukaryotic cells, which has the function of stabilizing chromosome. The change of telomere length is closely related to the exposure to environmental carcinogens. The repair and elongation of telomere rely on the catalysis and mediation of telomerase. Exposure to typical environmental carcinogens polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) can affect the change of telomere length by regulating the expression of telomere-related genes. Long-term exposure to PAHs can shorten the telomeres of peripheral blood leukocytes in a dose-response relationship. Telomere dysfunction is one of the important mechanisms of arsenic poisoning. The change of telomere length can be used as a biomarker of arsenic exposure. However, there are differences in the research results on the effect of arsenic exposure on telomere length, so the consistency of the effect of arsenic exposure on telomere length and the possible mechanism need to be further studied. Exposure to atmospheric fine particulate matter can attack genetic material by inducing oxidative stress and inflammatory response in the body, and then affect the telomere length of cells in vivo. Acute particulate matter exposure can increase telomere length in a short time(a few hours to a few days), and subsequent telomere shortening may be related to the inflammatory mechanism. Telomere length and telomerase activity can be used as biomarkers and play an important role in monitoring early carcinogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis assessment of cancers caused by environmental carcinogens.