Do carcinogens affect DNA?
Exposure to carcinogens can either directly [7] or indirectly [1,8] induce DNA damage. Subsequent repair mechanisms may result in alterations in DNA sequences, i.e. mutations [2,9]. Induced mutations may be initiating events in cancer causation, when the damage is fixed within oncogenes or tumour suppressor genes [10].
Can the body repair DNA damage?
Under normal circumstances, cells in the human body have several ways to repair their DNA if it becomes damaged. Cancer cells, however, often acquire changes that render them unable to efficiently repair DNA damage.
What is a carcinogen and how does it impact our DNA?
A carcinogen is any substance or agent that causes cancer. It does so by altering the cellular metabolism or by damaging DNA in our cells, interfering with normal cellular processes.
How does carcinogens affect the body?
Carcinogens may increase the risk of cancer by altering cellular metabolism or damaging DNA directly in cells, which interferes with biological processes, and induces the uncontrolled, malignant division, ultimately leading to the formation of tumors.
What molecules do carcinogens damage?
Exposure to carcinogens is associated with various forms of DNA damage such as single-stand breaks, double-strand breaks, covalently bound chemical DNA adducts, oxidative-induced lesions and DNA-DNA or DNA-protein cross-links.
What happens to your body when your DNA is altered?
When a gene mutation occurs, the nucleotides are in the wrong order which means the coded instructions are wrong and faulty proteins are made or control switches are changed. The body can’t function as it should. Mutations can be inherited from one or both parents.
Can mutations in DNA be fixed?
Most of the types of DNA damage that are caused by chemical or physical mutagens (Section 14.1. 1) can only be repaired by excision of the damaged nucleotide followed by resynthesis of a new stretch of DNA, as shown in Figure 14.18B.