Fine Dust Impact

[Anchor Lead]

It's a well-known fact that fine particulate matter worsens the symptoms of various diseases. Now a study has found for the first time that these fine dust particles bring changes in DNA, to cause diseases in Koreans.

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After suffering through several days of high concentrations of fine particulate matter, this man in his 80s had to be admitted to the hospital.

[Soundbite] Koh Deok-jin(82, Pneumonia Patient) : "I think my pulmonary system was damaged by the fine dust. I coughed up phlegm."

People suffering from pulmonary diseases are now fixtures in hospitals all year round, regardless of the season. Fine particulate matter not only directly worsens the symptoms of diseases, but also affects the genes that are associated with diseases. A joint team of Korean and American scientists studied the correlation between the concentration of fine dust in their residential addresses and DNA transformations in one thousand Koreans. Changes occurred in 39 genes in those who lived in areas with high concentrations of fine particulate matter. The DNA surfaces underwent methylation, which serves as the switch that activates the genes. That means the genetic switch was turned on. Most of the genes affected were associated with pulmonary or cardiovascular diseases. Fine dust had woken up the dormant "disease genes."

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Sun-young(Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Nat'l Cancer Center) : "Air pollution activates or suppresses genetic information. The genetic activation has biological outcomes, such as diseases or death."

This study, which confirmed for the first time that fine particulate matter causes genetic transformation in Koreans, was published in the latest edition of Clinical Epigenetics.