Alterations in monkeys' DNA showed for the first time that wildfire smoke exposure can create long-term changes in how genes are expressed in primates.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Take a seat, chin to the sky. Insert the swab, rotate slowly and switch nostrils — we know the drill. Only this time, it's not a COVID-19 test. And the nose is attached to a monkey.
For years, scientists have associated the particulate matter from smoke with respiratory health complications such as COPD and asthma — particularly in children. "We're talking about a genetic component that basically tells the cells how to act and what to do," Aguilera explains."Epigenetics studies how the environment and external exposures change our bodies and how our bodies work."
Some of the impacted regions deal with genes typically involved in immune response and neural development, meaning that smoke exposure could impact breathing and cognition in the long run. In fact, the researchers already showed that the monkeys born after the wildfires had reduced lung capacity and impaired lung function.