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The boys and girls exposed to tobacco smoke at home are more prone a mute changes in the Epigenoma, Which can alter the way in which genes are expressed. These epigenetic alterations may influence the development of diseases in the future. This is the conclusion of a study led by the Global Health Institute of Barcelona (ISGlobal), center imported by the «La Caixa» Foundation. The results, published in International EnvironmentThey highlight the need to reduce exposure to passive pabaquism, special in children’s environments.
Our DNA works like a Instruction book For the body. Without changing the content of the «book» (that is, the gene sequence), the tobacco smoke can add «marks» in certain pages, affecting the way those instructions are read. One of these brands, the DNA methylated, is one of the main Epigenetic mechanisms, and allows to activate or inactivate the expression of genes.
The fingerprint in DNA
Although it has long known that the effects of maternal smoking on pregnancy affect the epigenoma, this research is one of the first to show How passive exposure to tobacco smoke in childhood can also have an effect.
The study has included data from 2,695 boys and girls from eight European countries: Spain, France, Greece, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Sweden. The participants had Between 7 and 10 years of age and were volunteers of six cohorts of the consortium on epigenetics in Emiazo and Childhood (PACE).
A from the blood samples of the participants, the scientific upopiete studied the level of methylacia in specific DNA sites throughout the genome, and associated it with the number of people smokers in the home (0, 1, or 2 Oh more).
They identified themselves Changes in DNA methylacia in 11 regions (Called CPGS) associated with the exposure to passive Pabaquism. Most of these regions had also been linked in previous studies to direct exposure to tobacco in active smokers or during pregnancy. Besides, Six of them are associated with combitude such as asthma or cancerFor which tobacco is a risk factor.
«Our master study that passive smoking during childhood leaves a mark at the molecular level, aimed to modify the expression of genes that influences susceptibility to diseases in adulthood,» he says he states Marta Cosin-TomàsIslobal researcher and first author of the study.
A global problem with long -term consequence
A regret of the growing regulatory of tobacco consumption in public spaces, households are still one of the main sources of tobacco smoke for children and nibes. In 2004, it was estimated that 40% of children worldwide were exposed to passive smoking. Children’s exposure to this pollutant not only increases the risk of Respiratory and cardiovascular diseasesBut it can also affect the Neurological development and immune function.
“The results obtained suggest that passive smoking in childhood resulting in epigenetic changes similar to those observed with intrauterine exposure to tobacco or active consumption. This underlines the urgency of implementing comprehensive measures to reduce childhood exposure to tobacco smoke, both at home and in other closed spaces, «he says Mariona BustamanteResearcher of Isglobal and senior author of the study.
“It is not about appealing to the individual responsibility of families: exposure to tobacco is a public health problem and step a question of social inequality. Socio -economic and environmental factors, together with the persistent influence of powerful commercial interests, make it difficult to reduce tobacco smoke exposure in certain homes, ”he concludes,” he concludes, ”he concludes Marta Cosin-Tomàs.
Reference
Cosin-Tomas, M., Hoang, T., Qi, C., Monasso, GS, Langdon, R., Kebede Merid, S., Calas, L., of Prado-Bert, P., Richmond, R., R., Jaddoe, VV, Duijts, L., Wright, J., Annesi-Maesan … Bustamante, M. (2025). Second -hand smoke exposure association during childhood with methylation of blood DNA. Environment International, 195, 109204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.109204
