Terkko Navigator / Genetic susceptibility to asbestos and tobacco smoke related non-malignant pleuropulmonary changes

"Both tobacco smoke and asbestos fibers enter the body mainly by inhalation. In the lungs, they may evoke oxidative stress, alter the protease-antiprotease balance, induce innate and adaptive immune responses, and create persistent inflammation leading eventually to lung injury. The type and severity of lung injury induced by foreign compounds varies greatly between individuals, even with similar exposure history. These differences are believed to originate from the complex interplay between genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and life course factors. In this study, the effects of genetic variation on the risk and severity of asbestos and smoking related non-malignant pleural and pulmonary changes and lung function impairment was examined among Finnish construction workers. The studied polymorphic genes encode proteins involved in xenobiotic metabolizing, proteolytic balance, inflammation, and innate immunity; pathways that are potentially linked to asbestos and tobacco smoke exposure.".
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