TUCSON, Ariz. — A new study from the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health suggests that long-lasting industrial chemicals known as PFAS, commonly found in firefighting gear and foam, may influence gene activity linked to cancer and other diseases.
Published in the journal “Environmental Research”, the study is one of the first to link PFAS exposure to changes in microRNAs (miRNAs), molecules that help regulate gene expression. Firefighters are often exposed to PFAS through their gear and work environment, which may contribute to their increased cancer risk.
“Firefighters tend to have higher PFAS levels due to their occupational exposures,” first author Melissa Furlong, PhD, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the Zuckerman College of Public Health and a member of both the University of Arizona Cancer Center and the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research, said. “Gene activity can be affected by changes in the environment. We wanted to see the imprint of PFAS exposure on miRNAs and evaluate which ones might be associated with diseases.”…