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Reduction of Particulate Air Pollution Lowers the Risk of Heritable Mutations in Mice
Christopher M. Somers,1Brian E. McCarry,2Farideh Malek,3James S. Quinn1*
Urban and industrial air pollution can cause elevated heritablemutation rates in birds and rodents. The relative importanceof airborne particulate matter versus gas-phase substances incausing these genetic effects under ambient conditions has beenunclear. Here we show that high-efficiency particulate-air (HEPA)filtration of ambient air significantly reduced heritable mutationrates at repetitive DNA loci in laboratory mice housed outdoorsnear a major highway and two integrated steel mills. These findingsimplicate exposure to airborne particulate matter as a principalfactor contributing to elevated mutation rates in sentinel miceand add to accumulating evidence that air pollution may posegenetic risks to humans and wildlife.
1 Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. 2 Department of Chemistry, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. 3 Lakeland College, School of Environmental Sciences, 5707-47 Avenue West, Vermilion, Alberta T9X 1K5, Canada.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: quinn{at}mcmaster.ca
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