PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsMore evidence for passive smoking gene link

BioNews

More evidence for passive smoking gene link

Published 9 June 2009 posted in News and appears in BioNews 371

Author

Letitia Hughes

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

Researchers believe they have discovered why chronic exposure to passive smoking can cause some young people to go on to develop serious chest problems like asthma, while others are not as badly affected. They have warned that children who inherit a common gene defect face a heightened...

Researchers believe they have discovered why chronic exposure to passive smoking can cause some young people to go on to develop serious chest problems like asthma, while others are not as badly affected. They have warned that children who inherit a common gene defect face a heightened risk from passive smoking.


The team, from the University of Dundee Medical School, studied 600 children and young people with asthma. They checked airway peak flows, using a blowing test. The team identified gene defects that increase the risk of developing asthma, and worsen lung function in patients with asthma, when exposed to tobacco smoke in the environment. These findings are published in the journal Paediatrics.


The genes that they studied help the body produce an enzyme called glutathione-S-transferase (GST), which is particularly effective in detoxifying inhaled tobacco smoke within the lungs. However, the genes that produce GST are subject to two common defects, one of which is present in around 50 per cent of the population with the other occurring in around 12 per cent of the population. The research team found that children who had either of the two defects were more susceptible to asthma associated with environmental tobacco smoke, compared to those with intact GST genes. They also found that teenagers with asthma had 15 per cent lower peak flows if they had one of the GST gene defects and were exposed to tobacco smoke, compared to asthmatic teenagers with intact genes.


Dr Somnath Mukhopadhyay, one of the researchers, said: 'There is a risk that these children and teenagers, naturally unaware of their susceptible status resulting from this gene defect, could be undergoing a silent, long-standing decline in lung function over the years'. The two defects in the GST genes defined a high-risk population of young Scottish asthmatics in whom tobacco smoke was particularly harmful. Dr Mukhopadhyay added: 'What I worry about is people smoking more and more in the home and you could potentially have a vulnerable population who are perhaps getting a higher dose of cigarette smoke'.


These new findings follow a study in 2004 where researchers at the Children's University in Munich found that children of smokers, who had also inherited an altered version of the glutathione S transferase (GST) gene, were five times more likely to develop asthma, compared to children who did not have the gene variation. At present there is no screening for the gene defects. The researchers of the latest study suggest early identification of these gene defects, with concurrent strategies targeted at the protection of the high-risk population, may be effective in the long term in reducing the prevalence of asthma in Scotland.

Related Articles

Image by Bill Sanderson via the Wellcome Collection, © Wellcome Trust Ltd 1990. Depicts Laocoön and his family (from Greek and Roman mythology) entwined in coils of DNA.
Image by Bill Sanderson via the Wellcome Collection, © Wellcome Trust Ltd 1990. Depicts Laocoön and his family entwined in coils of DNA (based on the figure of Laocoön from Greek and Roman mythology).
News
9 June 2009 • 2 minutes read

Reaction to EU stem cell funding decision

by Dr Jess Buxton

UK physicist Stephen Hawking, who has motor neuron disease, has described the recent decision on European Union (EU) funding for human embryonic stem (ES) cell research as a 'fudge'. Last week, European Ministers agreed the latest draft of Europe's 54.5 billion Euro (£38 billion) 2007-2013...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
9 June 2009 • 1 minute read

Passive smoking risk influenced by genes

by BioNews

Some children with parents who smoke could have a higher risk of developing asthma due to their genetic make-up, according to a new German study. Researchers at the Children's University in Munich found that children of smokers, who had also inherited an altered version of the glutathione S transferase (GST...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Older fathers link to increased miscarriage risk

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

UK report reveals public attitudes to fertility, genomics and embryo research

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Shortage of sperm donors despite men willing to donate

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

North East London CCG proposes offering three funded IVF cycles

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Fibrosis drugs reverse ovarian ageing in mice

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Gene implicated in motor neurone diseases discovered

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856