Transport pollutants increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Air pollution not only causes respiratory problems, but can also lead to changes in DNA that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and stroke. How can we protect ourselves from the effects of exhalations?

As soon as the Czech Republic is hit by a smog situation, TV news will not be without footage of unfortunate Ostrava children suffering from frequent infections, respiratory problems and asthma. However, air pollution has many other, much more unpleasant consequences, and this is especially true for transport emissions. A recent scientific study published in the journal Toxicology, for example, confirmed their link to neurodegenerative diseases.

How to kill nerve cells

The first part of the research took place in China, specifically on a busy street in Shanghai, where the researchers extracted very fine pollutant particles from the air and then added them to cultures of nerve cells in the lab at different doses. They found that high concentrations of pollutants lead to cell cycle arrest, suppression of cell division and cell death.

Fine particles of pollutants cause so-called epigenetic changes that significantly affect the functioning of our DNA, especially changes in histone acetylation. Histones are proteins that form a kind of coil on which DNA strands are wound. In order for the body to “read” a particular gene, i.e. to make proteins based on it, the corresponding stretches of DNA must first be “unwound” and this is only possible if the corresponding histones are acetylated. Changes in acetylation can thus put certain genes completely out of action.

Research has shown that air pollutants can affect the function of around 400 genes, many of which are responsible for the development of neurovegetative diseases. Other studies have confirmed that other pollutants, such as lead and other heavy metals, also have a negative epigenetic effect that can lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions.

Allergies and cancer

The list of negative consequences of epigenetic effects of air pollutants does not end here. Epigenetic mechanisms are also behind, for example, the aforementioned increased incidence of allergies and asthma in people (especially children) living in polluted areas. Exhalations from transport cause changes not only in histone acetylation but also in gene methylation, which leads to changes in immune T-cell differentiation. These are one of the causes of increased sensitivity to allergens.

Air pollution has also been shown to lead to increased mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease, and patients with both diseases have been found to have significant variations in DNA methylation changes – including those that may be caused by exhalations. Particulate matter and nitrogen oxides are particularly risky in this respect.

Protect your genes

The best way to prevent the negative changes described above would of course be to avoid air pollution altogether, but unfortunately this is not always possible. It is therefore equally important to avoid other risks that exacerbate the effects on DNA – in particular smoking, excessive drinking, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, chronic stress and eating unhealthy foods high in sugars, saturated fats and chemical additives.

In addition to this, positive lifestyle changes must be added, which not only do not exacerbate the negative changes in our DNA, but can even reverse them. These include, for example, sufficient exercise (but avoid physical activity in polluted air, as this will exacerbate the problem) and a healthy diet high in substances that have a direct positive impact on epigenetic processes. Among those that positively influence the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but also cancer and cardiovascular disease, are EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is found mainly in green tea, curcumin, rosemary and bayberry. The latter two also help with allergy problems. To protect against the epigenetic effects of air pollution, it is also advisable to consume some epigenetic substances with a strong anti-inflammatory effect, which, in addition to the aforementioned EGCG and curcumin, also include quercetin and omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. B vitamins are also essential.