Tobacco can alter fetal DNA

The results of a study by scientists at the University of Southern California have shown that women who smoke during pregnancy may increase their risk of altering their DNA.

The study was published on May 18 at the Anatomy Conference held in Denver, USA.

Scientists analyzed the smoking habits of 173 mothers during pregnancy.

Cell samples of mother-infant pairs were also collected and analyzed. The results showed that the rate of DNA alteration methylation in AXL genes in children whose mothers smoke during pregnancy is twice as high as in other children. AXL is a gene that plays a role in cancer.

Scientists say that DNA methylation can alter the normal function of a gene and it is the fact that these modified genes passed from parent to child have become the cause of some diseases. than other children, including asthma.

The author of the study, Associate Professor Carrie Breton said: " Modified genes seem to be very susceptible because they come from a parent, and only one copy from an internal chromosome DNA is active, any change can have a big impact on gene expression and function. "