Tobacco changes sperm's DNA

According to Canadian scientists at McMaster University, smoking can alter the DNA sequences of sperm cells and these genetic changes can be transmitted to offspring.

The scientists conducted tests in sperm cells of two groups of mice exposed to tobacco smoke for 6 weeks and 12 weeks. These mice were exposed every day to the smoke of two cigarettes, equivalent to an average smoker.

Later, the researchers compared DNA sequences called Ms6-hm in these mice.

The above test results show that the rate of mutations in the Ms6-hm sequence in mice exposed to cigarette smoke was higher than that of non-exposed mice.

The frequency of mutations in the group exposed to cigarette smoke during the 6 weeks of 1.4 and in the 12-week exposure group was 1.7. This demonstrates the level of genetic change associated with exposure time to cigarette smoke.

The researchers concluded that the longer the smokers, the higher the number of mutated genes and the higher the risk of transmitting the genes to the offspring.