Nanoparticle-driven DNA damage mimics irradiation-related carcinogenesis pathways.

The epidemiological association between cancer and exposure to ambient air pollution particles (particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 microm (PM(10))) has been related to the ability of PM(10) and its constituent nanoparticles (NPs) to cause reactive oxidative species (ROS)-driven DNA damage. However, there are no data on the molecular response to these genotoxic effects. In order to assess whether PM(10), NP and ROS-driven DNA damage induce carcinogenesis pathways, A549 cells were treated with tert-butyl-hyperperoxide (Tbh), urban dust (UD), carbon black (CB), nanoparticulate CB (NPCB), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and NPCB coated with BaP for